Friday, December 5, 2008

What I Learned From the Generosity of Others


This post is a bit different for me. Robert Hruzek at Middle Zone Musings put this challenge to me, and I decided to accept. (Anyone can participate.) You'll note, however, that this post actually does have something to do with the workplace, and the difference one person can make on the job.


Everyone has a story about 9/11 – where they were and who they were with when they learned of the terrorist attacks.

I was in a class with about 50 other journalists from around the country as part of a fellowship for The Knight Center for Specialized Journalism at the University Maryland. As you can imagine, half the class left immediately to head back to their newspapers to help with the coverage, while many were dispatched for nearby Washington, D.C. or even New York.

As the days went by, the rest of us continued to meet for classes. We phoned home as often as we could, talking to our families and trying to figure out when the heck (or even if) we could get home.

Several days later, it was time for me to catch my flight home. Unbelievably, the Baltimore airport had opened just that day and was offering limited flights. Things were touch and go – the airport was offering no guarantees about flight times.

Of course the airport was swarming with National Guard troops, Maryland Highway Patrol and what appeared to be additional private security. People were jumpy – an abandoned backpack immediately sent up an alarm and security came immediately. (The guy who left it while he went to the bathroom was greatly embarrassed when he was questioned and had to reveal the pack contained an extra set of underwear and a novel.)

Hour after hour I sat in the airport, watching it grow dark outside as the disembodied voice over the intercom system continued to note another flight had been cancelled. Eight hours went by when it came time for my flight – which had been rescheduled numerous times – and I stepped up to the ticket counter to be checked in once again.

A woman behind me asked me where I was headed. “I’m headed home, I hope,” I said. “I’m trying to get home to my husband and kids.”

Conversation died after that as we watched a group of intoxicated young men begin to harass a ticket agent who appeared to be Middle Eastern. It was clear they had passed the time in the airport bar.

By that point, I was numb. Both my parents had died recently, passing away within 17 months of each other, followed by my grandfather three months later. All the grief from the attacks and my own personal loss was a lead ball in my stomach. I waited for my turn to get a ticket.

As I finally stepped up to the counter, the employee began tapping into his computer. “This is our only flight tonight. We’ll see what we can do. We’re obviously overbooked,” he said.

I nodded and headed back to my seat, prepared to wait some more. I figured I’d be spending the night in the airport.

Within minutes, he called my name.

“I heard you say you have children,” he said.

“Yes.”

“And you want to get home.”

“Yes.”

“Have a good trip,” he said, handing me a ticket.

“Thank you,” I said, smiling.

I gazed at him for a moment, and he smiled back. A world of understanding passed between us at that moment. He was the Middle Eastern employee who had taken the abuse from the drunken men. But I saw him only as a man trying to get a mother back home to her children.

As I got onto the plane, I began making my way toward the back, figuring my seat was somewhere just shy of the onboard toilet. A flight attendant looked at my ticket, and soon corrected me.

“You’re in first class,” she said.

Surprised, I found my seat. As I was served a wonderful meal, my weary head resting on a soft pillow, I thought of that employee who decided to make sure I got on that flight not just because it was his job, but because he had chosen to step away from all the ugliness and simply do a generous thing for a stranger.

I found this quote from Quaker missionary Stephen Grellet that sums up my thoughts on what I learned: “I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”




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13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Anita, that's a very moving post. I'm glad you decided to take up the challenge.

Fantastic quote at the end - I'm keeping that one for future use!

Joanna

Anita said...

Joanna,
It took some thought to come up with something I felt truly fit Robert's challenge, but when I started writing this it flowed so easily I knew that I had selected just the right story.
I also love that quote and hope everyone will enjoy it.

Anonymous said...

Great story! Thanks for writing it.

Robert Hruzek said...

Anita, I'm glad you shared this story. It's something we all need to remember: that individuals can always make a difference - should they choose to.

I've had a similar experience with a harassed gate agent, who unexpected gave me not one, but an envelope full of upgrades, simply because I expressed sympathy for her situation, and gave her a word of encouragement, when everyone else seemed to be blaming her (bad weather delays).

Unsung, most of them, but - WE remember!

Anita said...

Robert,
When I began thinking of generosity, of course I thought of family and friends who are always generous. But I really wanted to think of someone who didn't know me, and showed a generous heart and spirit. The gate agent immediately popped into my mind. If he could have seen my family's faces when I returned home....we can never thank him enough.
Thanks for prompting me to remember this man, especially at this time of year.

Anita said...

Jim,
Thanks...maybe you want to participate? Robert's deadline is this weekend. Check it out: www.middlezonemusings.com.

Anonymous said...

Anita,
What a lovely story. It is a wonderful reminder that, even when things seem bleakest, it's still up to each person to step up if we really want to turn the tide.

Anita said...

Miriam,
You're right. And now, times are bleak. I hope we all remember that just reaching out to one another can make a world of difference.

Anonymous said...

"not just because it was his job, but because he had chosen to step away from all the ugliness "

That's just so beautiful.
Perhaps his act of generousity was a statement on it's own: we will not let ugliness rule the world, never.

Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

Anita said...

Karin,
I can remember being surprised at the drunk guys who were so rude. I thought everyone would be especially nice to one another after what happened. But nooooo.....

That's what amazed me about this ticket agent. He not only looked past a world gone crazy, he looked past people being ugly to his face. That's not always easy to do.

Anonymous said...

It sure isn't Anita.

IMHO your ticket friend not only tried, he succeeded and made the ugly world a whole load better at that tiny moment in time.

Karin H

Anonymous said...

After reading your guest post on Chris Brogan's blog this morning, I simply had to check out your blog. So glad I did. This post was particularly poignant and enjoyable. I'm adding you to my Google Reader.

Anita said...

Julie,
Thanks! I look forward to getting to know you, and appreciate you giving me your time.