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Wednesday 24 January 2018

Kindness

Our daughter left to collect some family members at the Charlottetown airport, about a fifty minute drive from home. My husband and I stayed with the baby. The flight was scheduled for 11:55 p.m.


It was snowing that night, drifting in open areas too. In places, the road and the shoulder were indistinguishable, just a blanket of white and slippy in places, as islanders say. It was an hour and twenty minutes drive that night.


She arrived in time, but the flight was delayed, then delayed again. The plane circled the airport a number of times and eventually diverted elsewhere, rescheduled to land in Charlottetown at 3:40 a.m.


What was she to do? Charlottetown is a small airport, with minimum facilities and seating areas for people. It was not an option to return home; she was not prepared to stay in a hotel and too cold to stay in the car.


Some women who were waiting as well, overhead her conversation with the Air Canada agent. They asked the agent for a blanket and pillow for her but none of the airline bedding was available.


Our daughter was on the phone with us when two of those women approached her with two pillows and a blanket from their cars. One woman offered for our daughter to go to her home nearby to have a rest until arrival time. She chose to stay and rest in relative comfort on a bench in the airport.


Later, after the plane arrived and she was paying for parking at the automatic kiosk, a security guard approached her and waived the parking fee. 


Everyone arrived home safely! Though the weather was miserable and the circumstances were not ideal, the kindness of strangers made a bad situation bearable. It renewed our family’s faith in humanity. Somehow, we will pay it forward.


35 comments:

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Oh I love to hear things like this Marie.. we really don't hear enough of the kind things that happen in everyday life ✨

Rhodesia said...

So good to hear things like that, people mostly only complain! Thanks for sharing. Have a good day Diane

Debra She Who Seeks said...

A nice story from a nice island!

Linda d said...

Good people are everywhere!

Joanne Noragon said...

You've made me smile. Somehow we look to each other and look out for each other.

Debbie said...

such a sweet story and i am really glad you shared it with us!!!

Bill said...

A very nice story illustrating there is still goodness alive in this world.

William Kendall said...

That was very kind!

I've only been in an airport overnight once, flying standby as a student.

Jenn said...

Nice to see a bit of kindness in what was a very frustrating situation.

Tabor said...

Love stories about the kindness of strangers. We do not get enough of that!

Marie Smith said...

People can look after each other, PDP. We really don’t hear it enough, it’s true.

Marie Smith said...

People do step up and help each other, Diane. This was a good reminder for us.

Marie Smith said...

It was unexpected and wonderful, Debra.

Marie Smith said...

They are indeed, Linda. People will help each other when given an opportunity.

Marie Smith said...

I know, Joanne. We do it when the opportunity arises.

Marie Smith said...

It was a good lesson for us, Debbie.

Marie Smith said...

There is indeed, Bill.

Marie Smith said...

It certainly was, William.

Marie Smith said...

People were so helpful, Jenn. It was heart warming!

Marie Smith said...

I agree, Tabor.

Rick (Ratty) said...

I hope my comment got through. I'm having trouble with Blogger for some reason.

DJan said...

How wonderful to hear of the kindness of strangers. And strangers no longer! :-)

The Furry Gnome said...

We need our faith renewed sometimes.

Silver in AZ said...

that is so wonderful; both the ladies help and the guard waiving the fees. Awesome!

Catarina said...

I always believed that some members of the humankind are kind. : ) This proves it.

Ginnie Hart said...

Oh YES YES YES. We NEED these stories to keep believing "all things." Thanks for sharing this, Marie. It warms the cockles of my heart.

Marie Smith said...

I’ve had trouble with posting comments on Blogger recently but it was resolved this past week, Ratty.

Marie Smith said...

Sy true, Jan. We need more stories of human kindness!

Marie Smith said...

Indeed we do, FG.

Marie Smith said...

The three helpers were awesome.

Marie Smith said...

It does indeed, Catarina.

Marie Smith said...

It is heart warming, Ginnie.

Barb said...

Thank you for this uplifting account. It makes me smile at the kindness of strangers.

Marie Smith said...

Me too, Barb.

Danielle L Zecher said...

That was so nice of those people. I love reading stories like this; we need them to help balance out the bad news we read daily.