I'm reminded of the story about the holiday traveler who plopped his case down at the ticket counter, and noticed a bit of mistletoe above the scales. "Why is that there?" he asked the ticket agent. The agent smirked. "So you can kiss your luggage goodbye!"
No wonder folks at airports are rarely at their best! I've heard angry customers rip ticket agents to shreds. I've seen people bump and push their way through lines like they were the only person in the world who needed to get somewhere.
According to Jason Barger, a consultant a frequent flyer, the general atmosphere at airports makes them perfect places to hone one's skills as a peacemaker. A few years back he decided to spend seven consecutive days and nights in the air travel system to see how people respond to the stress and anxiety of flying. He kept a journal, noting all that he observed. "I started thinking, maybe the airport . . . is where we could start thinking about beginning a more civil and graceful society." (New York Times, 12-2-08, B4) Instead of jumping up when the captain turns off the no seat belt signs and cramming the aisle with everybody else at the end of the flight, we could just stay seated, and let the frenzy go by. Instead of jostling for the best position at the baggage carousel, we could just stand back and wait calmly for the bags. As we live with a greater measure of peace and serenity, he reasons, it will influence others.
Barger's premise is really quite simple. If we want to have peace in our lives, "we just need to smart small . . . [We can] . . . change the world, by the way be live at the airport." (Ibid)
Just a thought in this busy season of the year!
Happy travels!
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