The stress that comes along with air travel can sometimes be overwhelming. Delayed flights, cramped airplane seats, and lost luggage can add to that stress to make your day a living nightmare. Yet, in these chaotic environments come people who have a light to them. That can brighten up the room by just showing a smile. I feel grateful for the small gestures of kindness that people display even in the most chaotic of environments; people should show nothing but kindness to one another and starting from the smallest scale is the biggest step in the right direction.
Everyone has their own story. Airports see these stories unfold every day. The seats have felt the excitement of a grandparent waiting to meet their new grandchild. The window has seen the tears of a mother and father bidding their son goodbye has he departs for college. The walls have seen the embrace of a reunited military father and his daughter. Everyone that walks through the doors of the airport has their own story that defines them. Yet each one of these stories has something in common; emotion. Airports have felt the heavy tears fall from a face that is overwhelmed with sadness and have felt the light emanating from a face that is brightened with happiness. These situations bring out the spectrum of emotion within us and are constantly influencing the way we think and react to things.
Our emotions can overtake us and make our days one of our worst. However, everyone deserves kindness. Although we might not be able handle our emotions, small gestures of kindness that we give and receive can make the difference between a good day and bad day. Something as simple as a smile can put a smile on the saddest of faces. People giving up their seats to let someone else sit can have a huge effect make someone’s day that much better. Small friendly conversations and sharing a laugh or two can brighten up someone’s mood quicker than you think.
No gift or amount of money can have as much of an impact as these gestures do. I am grateful to be surrounded these kind of people everywhere I go. Airports see more of our true selves than we choose to show to each other. We all have our good days and we all have our bad days, that is just a fact of the world we live in. The emotions that come along with this can drain us and exhaust us to the point where we feel no motivation to continue on anymore. Yet, one fact is true; humans look out for each other. All connected by an unseen force, we have each other’s best interests in mind and are always looking out for each other’s happiness. I am grateful for the people that help us up when we are down.
I am thankful for the shoulders we have to rest our heads on. I am grateful for the people that show those small gestures of kindness that immediately brighten up our days. I am grateful for each other. About the Author: Adil Shariff is a second year college student at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida. While pursing an International Studies major, he hopes to also stay on the pre-medical track and attend medical school. In the long run, Adil hopes to work with influential organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control or the World Health Organization. He has a passion for the sciences, travel, and reading.
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