Unexpected Christmas Angels

“I do this to give back and make a difference in people’s lives.” – Victor Porter

Unexpected Christmas Angels

The news reporter I was listening to said it was going to be the busiest airport travel period in U.S. history.  That report caused me to shrug my shoulders in response as I said, “What can you do?”  That was before I left.  Now I was sitting in the Tulsa International Airport with lots of other people.  It was a lot worse than I had imagined!

It was worse, because flights from Dallas had been diverted to Tulsa due to weather issues.  And, there is a huge difference in size, as well as capacity, between the two airports.  The concrete in the Dallas airport infrastructure is enough to build a high capacity freeway from coast to coast across the United States, while the airport in Tulsa is small, with two short concourses.  So capacity, on these busy travel days following Christmas was stretched, to say the least.

The other issue was the capacity of the plane I was hoping to get on.  It was a small fifty seat regional jet.  When I looked around at all of the people huddled around the gate, it was clear they were over sold.  By a lot!  That being said, I was not greatly surprised when I was not assigned a seat.

“Oh well, I guess it’s time to find a hotel for the night.”  I said to myself as I pulled my phone out to make a reservation.

Then I made a reservation for a ride share on Lyft.  And, after sitting around for a couple of hours I was surprised to have my request almost instantaneously filled.

“I need to hustle!”  I said, as I gathered my things to run down the concourse to meet Victor Porter, my driver.

Victor greeted me with a warm, welcoming smile, helped me load my baggage and made me feel warm inside.  He even cheered me by playing music performed by one of my favored artists and his caring-manner seemingly, easily washed the stress of an over-taxed airport away.

“How nice!” I said to myself as I relaxed in the warmth and comfort of his car.  “I’ll get some dinner and then rest, so I can get through another difficult travel day tomorrow.  That’s when it hit me!

In my rush to get out to the car, I had left something at the airline’s gate!  Time was of the essence!

“Victor, what do we need to do to adjust our trip to go back to the airport?  I seem to have left a valuable item at the gate.”  I queried, with an explanation.

“Not to worry!” He responded with a smile.  “I’ll simply end this trip and take you back there and then to your hotel without charge.  I do this to give back and make a difference in people’s lives.”

“I’ll surely you!”  I responded.  “I’m just grateful for your help!”

We arrived back to where we started in a short, few minutes.  Victor patiently waited for me at the curb as promised, while a kind ticket counter agent personally walked back to the gate to find my small package.

“I needed to go for a walk anyway!  So, you were really helping me!”  Said the gate agent whose name I’ll never know.

Then, Victor gave me a ride to my hotel and offered to pick me up the next morning at 6:30 am to get me to my next flight on time!

The very next morning, a different news reporter, I was listening to, said it was going to be the busiest airport travel period in history.  The report caused me to shrug my shoulders in response as I said, “No big deal, Victor is here to pick me up!”  That was just before I slid back into his welcoming car.  I was on my way back to the Tulsa International Airport with lots of other people.  It was a lot better than I had imagined it would be!

After all, I never imagined I’d meet two Christmas Angels in Oklahoma, at the Tulsa International Airport!

Melting Hearts

Count your blessings instead of sheep. – Irving Berlin

Melting Hearts

It was time to catch our breath.  Every member of my family had finally been able to come together for the first time in a year.  Now, all comfortable, settled into a pillow-filled couch, we began to let the airports, crowds, cars and highways drip away. Urgency was safely where it belonged, in the past.  So, it seemed appropriate for my daughter Jessi to look around the room and ask if we could resurrect another past by watching the 1954 movie, White Christmas.

Much to my surprise, White Christmas is a movie not one of my children had ever seen.  So, we were all soon absorbed. It melted our hearts so they could meld with the past.  And, while the time depicted is no longer, its messages are timeless principles to be cherished.

First, true treasure is found in friendship and family. When an old army friend finds himself in financial trouble, in the movie, because seasonal snows failed to arrive in Vermont, his former colleagues give of their time, money and hearts to gather around him to show their love and admiration.  They also turned the fortunes of his country inn in the process.

Second, we all have difficulties as the seasons of our lives change.  We often think of the challenges of youth, while sometimes failing to observe such youth melt slowly away from our mentors as the years slowly begin to display their wear.  Such instances provide all of us with, in many cases, a once in a life time opportunity to offer a lasting expression of gratitude for guidance and mentorship graciously given.

Finally, gratitude can be a vehicle to achieve personal peace and satisfaction.  This is expressed magnificently through the Academy Award nominated song, “Count Your Blessings,” performed by Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney in the movie.  Perhaps its message is something that could become assimilated into our hearts today.

“When I'm worried and I can't sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings

When my bankroll is getting small
I think of when I had none at all
And I fall asleep counting my blessings

I think about a nursery and I picture curly heads
And one by one I count them as they slumber in their beds
So if you're worried and you can't sleep
Count your blessings instead of sheep
And you'll fall asleep counting your blessings”

It was time to catch our breath.  Every member of my family had finally been able to come together for the first time in a year.  Now, all comfortable, settled into a pillow-filled couch, we began to let the airports, crowds, cars and highways drip away. Urgency was safely where it belonged, in the past.  So, it seemed appropriate for us let our hearts melt together by remembering the past, recognizing our true treasure, discerning the change of life’s seasons, and counting our blessings.

Progressive Disappointment

A disappointed friend.

Progressive Disappointment

When she approached me, her demeanor was nearing the darkness of a thundercloud.  It caught me by surprise, as I know how much she dislikes rainy weather.  When she spoke to me I could virtually see lightning dancing from her mouth, as she told me of her recent disappointment.  I felt empathy as she continued explaining how things were not turning out the way she expected.

You see, I’ve had the opportunity to deal with a lot of disappointment in my life, just as you have.  And, in this case her story caused me to reflect on an upsettingly similar situation and my failure of dealing with it at that past time, in the best possible way.  Then, at that exact moment, my view of the dancing lightning changed from stormy to an “ah-ha” moment.  Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice?

This second strike was also a second chance for me.  It was a chance to stop, think and then learn from my own disappointment, this time living anew and acting as artificial intelligence.  I was determined to use my past disappointment as a way to make progress for her benefit as well as mine.  Progressive Disappointment is a way everyone can turn disappointment into personal growth and triumph.

When you’re faced with disappointment, especially when it isn’t your fault, because of events outside of your control, there are a couple of small steps you can take to begin to feel better immediately.

First, don’t just sit around and worry.  Do what’s in front of you at that very moment.  Do what you can do.  That may mean doing completely unrelated tasks such as trimming a hedge, doing laundry or even cleaning your desk.  Just keep moving forward, where there is living to do now.

Second, recognize your need to let go of everything you can’t control.  Let it go!  Then, get busy on your “working toward your goals” list.  This will allow you to make progress in the direction of what you can control.  Basketball fans will recognize this as very important.

Have you ever watched a player believe he was fouled, miss his basket (goal), and then stand yapping at the referee?  Yes!  While he is standing their yapping, the other team stays focused on executing toward their goal, running to the other side of the court where they have the advantage of playing five on four.  Basketball’s best coaches work hard to keep their players focused on always perfecting execution toward their goal.  Execution is everything in basketball and life.

“Let it go and execute what you can control positively” I said to myself, and then to her, as my past disappointment lifted me as if through artificial intelligence.

When she approached me, her demeanor was nearing the darkness of a thundercloud, but these words caught her by surprise and she gladly began to move out her internal, emotional storm.  I know how much she dislikes rainy weather.  When next she spoke, I could no longer see lightning dancing from her mouth as she began to move past her recent disappointment.  I too felt much better, as soon as I saw the power of progressive disappointment allow both of us turn toward the positive, a future we expected to enjoy as a result. 

Progressive disappointment is a means of learning from our past, so things will turn out even better, because learning always makes us better people.