Compassion for a Child

On a plane returning to Dallas, , we were seated in the bulkhead.  Our seat mate was a young man about ten years old.  It was obvious there was a trace of anxiety and sadness in the air.  It appeared he was making his way to be with a parent for part of his summer vacation.  Clearly, he was not happy and his disposition suggested his reluctance to make the trip.

During a brief lay over, the flight attendant for the front of the plane picked up on the young man’s discontent.  Before the passengers boarded, she wisely and gently herded him off the plane for what, I’m guessing, was a grandmotherly talk.  After some minutes they returned to the plane, he took his seat and seemed to be more settled, less tense.

During the second leg of the trip, the attendant found opportunity to check him out, to determine how he was doing.  She stepped into the bulkhead area, kneeled before him and asked him a few questions.  She had, by now, gained his confidence and trust.  It was an experience in genuine caring and taking care of a young man who needed it.

This flight attendant may serve this role of care taker on flights everyday.  I don’t know.  What  I do know is that this very capable attendant took off her employee’s cap and donned the identity of someone who knew how to intervene in the moment of a young boy’s distress.  She didn’t have to do that.  She could have gone about the “busyness” of being an attendant and taking care of mundane chores.  Rather, she chose to be there, with a gentle spirit and a kind presence, to help this little boy make his trip less uncomfortable.

Kudos for her and for those whose sensitivity comes forward just at that moment when it is most needed.