Simple Acts of Kindness

On the way home from Iowa a couple of weeks ago, I got the window seat on the plane. I sat next to a friendly lady who joked as I had to squeeze by her. She seemed to be a little nervous; she kept fidgeting with her book rather than reading it. I decided to make my usual airplane small talk: So...are you coming or going? She was going, this was going to be her first trip to California. How exciting!! Where exactly will you be staying? She was going to San Diego to see her son in the hospital. Not your usual first trip to the Golden State. It turns out she got an emergency phone call from her son the night before. He was injured while fighting in Iraq. She was just a bundle of nerves because the Army wouldn't disclose any specifc information over the phone. The only thing she was going on was that she had heard her son's voice and was on a plane at 8am the following morning. So there she sat, in between two strangers, not knowing the extent of her youngest (she has five!) child's injuries, is thousands of miles away from him, and is helpless to do anything for him in this moment. Picking up on her anxiety, the man in the aisle seat quickly started talking to her about her kids, her husband, her job, redecorating homes, traveling, his wife, his kids, his job..he kept her mind distracted for about an hour and half. I kept having the feeling I should jump in the conversation to help the time ease by for her, but I am in such a different phase of my life, I couldn't relate. I was also sitting there, feeling helpless, wanting to take some of this woman's anxiety away, but with no way to do it. I just sat in silence, listening about her and the aisle man's lives, just being present. Towards the end of the flight I remembered I had Thank You cards in my carry on (left over from my bridal shower). I have never been so thankful that I had actual cards to write a random person a thank you note. I wrote to her son, Micheal Russell, that I was thankful that he had put himself out there on the line for us, I thanked him for doing something so much bigger than his own life. When the plane had finally taxied to the Jetway and the captain had turned off the Fasten Your Seat Belt signs, I handed her the card and asked if she would give it to her son. Before I knew it, she kissed me and was holding me in a super tight embrace. She thanked the man on the other side of her for keeping her talking the entire flight. She had tears welled up in her eyes and was doing some deep breathing because she didn't want to lose it. I told her to have a safe drive and that I would pray for her family. She squeezed my hand and we went our separate ways.