There she was, the Delta Airlines flight attendant, standing at the front of the plane and pleasure was not written upon her face. It was getting late in the evening of a holiday with one more to go and 142 passengers.
Sometimes you can just see it all over a person. The pain or frustration of a day, a job or a lifetime. Many people would see it on another person and shy away. Not me though, I only wanted a glass of water.
The way she addressed or responded to people was not all that pleasant. I would describe it as a tourist asking a New Yorker for directions on a hot and humid day in Times Square. It was not going to be fun but I was determined to make an effort. Besides, all I wanted was a glass of water.
Rumbling down the aisle, "watch your elbows please" was the constant and stern warning of my flight attendant. I say 'my flight attendant' because I was going to make her smile and let her day finish brighter then it appears to have started.
So many times we see people that we would rather avoid. We get a perception of them that probably isn't very flattering. But we can never know what exactly is happening in their world. So much is hidden inside but it surfaces on the faces of those having a bad day. You can make a difference in that day, sometimes by simply asking for a glass of water.
When our row was approached, before asking for something I instead to ask how she was. I offered up a pleasant great day and thanking her for working on a holiday. All of a sudden it appeared, a smile. The hard shell of the day seemed to melt away. Maybe things would be just a little better. Maybe what troubled her was going to be okay.
And then, she offered me a glass of water.
1 comment:
It was so fun to come across your post on Glass of Water. The graphic you chose it the exact reverse of the one I chose for my post called "Optimism." It made me smile and laugh. I enjoyed reading your post and am following your blog now. I look forward to reading more. Blessings, Sherry
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