ACTS OF KINDNESS ~ PAY THEM FORWARD

by Danna Shirley

          I was riding the shuttle from Napa, CA to the airport, something I’ve done many times before. I was going into Oakland this time, however, instead of my usual San Francisco departure. I didn’t know until I was on the bus that the shuttle would NOT drop me off in front of the Southwest ticket counter. I would have to trek quite a distance with my three rolling bags and purse; something I knew I couldn’t do since, on top of all of this, I really needed a wheelchair to get me all the way to the gate. I was returning to TN for a hip replacement and was definitely in handicap mode.

         Two of my co-travelers, Lynn and Andrea, were also Southwest passengers. They immediately chimed in to help with my luggage. So off we trooped, down and across and into the terminal. The line inside was long, long, long. I knew I couldn’t stand there for any length of time. My ability to walk was diminishing.

         We decided to return to the outside check-in and by God’s mercy a counter opened right where we were standing. The agent then directed us for wheelchair assistance and my two new friends waited with me for my ride to the gate. In our get-acquainted conversation we learned Lynn was leaving from Gate 22, Andrea from Gate 23, and I from Gate 28.

         We all had at least a two-hour wait for our departure times so we ate at Subway and exchanged phone numbers, family pictures, travel plans, etc. Lynn learned Andrea knew her son . . . small, small world! J

         After lunch they rolled me down to my gate and had someone take our picture. They parked me with a new friend, Kay, who was also in a wheelchair waiting at the pre-board area. 

God puts people across our path when we need them most and I am so grateful He brought me 
← Lynn and Andrea. 

         At this point I still had almost an hour more to wait. Kay and I were both going to Memphis via a plane change in Dallas, a plane change that only allowed a fifteen minute window between landing and boarding our next flight. We were told in Oakland that wheelchairs would be waiting for us in Dallas, but alas, no wheelchairs and we were eight minutes later than the scheduled arrival time. Kay and I were the first ones off the plane and we hustled from Gate 2 down to Gate 16.

         The board said the flight was “On Time” but the waiting area was still full of passengers as they announced a one-hour delay, fortunately I needed the restroom and something for dinner. Kay and I grabbed a sandwich at Jason’s Deli and returned to the gate area to sit in our wheelchairs. We were glad for the chance to relax and de-stress. I learned she was flying to Memphis to surprise a friend for her retirement party the next day and would be getting a taxi to her hotel from the airport. I texted my son if we could give her a ride since we were going right by her exit and of course, he said sure.

         The terminal was in chaos with several announcements of flight delays and gate changes and passengers milling around. Kay and I were where we needed to be so we didn’t pay much attention until our gate was lining up for boarding and we heard the announcement was NOT for Memphis. Kay asked the attendant and was told our flight had been moved to Gate 18, right next door.

         Oops. We hustled again and they were just beginning the pre-board. God is good even when we aren’t paying attention. Our flight was delayed a full hour and a half. As we sat on the plane, the pilot announced we would be longer than usual because of bad weather. We would be flying around the storm and would feel turbulence on the final approach.

        I have done a lot of traveling since my very first flight at age twenty-two and have prayed on takeoff and landing as a new Christian for most of those flights; however, the last twenty minutes of Flight 1228 into Memphis had me in desperate prayer as we all bounced and jerked and hung on for dear life.

        I told Kay before I left the plane that I would see her in baggage and we would give her a ride to her hotel. She smiled gratefully.

         We were originally scheduled to arrive at 10:00 p.m. but touched down about midnight. Aaron grabbed all of our luggage and we waited at the curb while he brought the car around. We deposited Kay at the Fairfield Inn and I finally sat on my loveseat in my own living room at 1:00 a.m.

         I am so grateful for the help I received and the help I was able to give.

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers,

for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

(Hebrews 13:2)

Practice Random Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty!

(Unknown)