My niece, Jhonna, made the Five (5) Lowe Cousins t-shirts for our vacation. Each shirt had a country design and printed in the country’s native language was, “Do you speak Southern?”
The t-shirt for England read, ”I speak three languages: English, American, Southern.” Yes, I do!
Momma worked so very hard for me to speak French. It never really clicked and neither did German or Spanish.
I’m departing France last Friday with my boarding passes (printed and on the Delta App), luggage checked, extra bag fee for the additional piece of luggage that I purchased paid, passport security cleared, and I have one stop left … airport security at the Paris – Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
Somehow, I got between a group of young Korean men who appeared very happy, animated, close to each other, and carefree. The story I created was that this was a bachelor party, or an end-of-college celebration. They did not unpack their backpacks which contained thermoses with liquids. The Security POC gave them a choice to drink the contents or throw away the thermoses (i.e., not empty the thermoses). He was very serious. I wait while they guzzle.
My turn … I have two (2) color-coordinated Vera Bradley totes. One tote has my purse, tablet, phone, makeup, and other stuff for the plane ride home. The Security POC finds an unopened bottle of water in my tote. He moves the water bottle away and I understand that it has been confiscated. I used body language to indicate my apology.
My second tote has my medications. He studied my medications. To put in perspective the number of medications that I had, I packed more medications than underwear. I was not going to seek medical services in a foreign country while on vacation. Whatever I could be exposed to or catch, I planned to email my MD my symptoms, seek his advice, and go to the prescription bottle in my possession that he would direct me to.
The Security POC moves away from my open medicine tote. He retrieves my bottle of water placing it inside my tote.
We have not orally spoken through his examination of my totes’ contents.
He zipped my medicine tote, smiled, nodded, and gave me an OK sign. I returned the smile and thanked him.
He exhibited a small act of kindness and yet a very generous act of kindness … all without speaking … just understanding his authority and my needs.
I’ve written before about kindness on www.leaderlines.net as Richard and I journeyed through cancers. Kindness is all around us every day. It is important to see it and respond. Kindness is found in our actions and behaviors, not just the spoken word.
Go about the rest of this week behaving as kind as possible and then be kinder.
BTW, check out my niece’s website: https://www.jadesigns.net/
-VhS