A Hurricane, a Drive, and an Unexpected Lesson in Kindness
Recently, I found myself at a crossroads while attending a conference. Hurricane Helena was hitting the U.S., and travel disruptions were inevitable. I faced a tough choice: Should I stay for Day 2 and risk getting stranded at the airport, or forfeit my airline ticket and catch a ride home with a friend, Ann Wright, who was leaving early to avoid the storm?
The decision wasn’t easy. I wanted to stay, and I didn’t want to lose the value of my airline ticket, but the thought of being stuck at an airport was unsettling. There were so many unknowns!
In the end, I chose to ride home with Ann. We spent nine hours in the car, and the time flew by, thanks to our wonderful conversation. I was grateful for the ride, but I wanted to contribute by paying for gas. Ann, however, wouldn’t hear of it. Instead, she asked me to donate to a food bank if I felt inclined. What a beautiful, generous suggestion. Her good heart left a lasting impression on me.
The outcome of my decision couldn’t have been better. Not only did I get home safely and ahead of the storm, but I was also refunded the full amount for my airline ticket, and the conference recorded Day 2, so I didn’t miss any of the valuable content!
Less than 24 hours earlier, I had been stressing about worst-case scenarios—imagining myself stuck, sleeping on a cot in O’Hare airport. Instead, I was reminded of some important life lessons.
My Takeaways and my Coaching Tips:
- There’s beauty in life’s disruptions—look for them.
- Notice the goodness in others, and make sure they see their beauty too.
- Be intentional about multiplying goodness into the world.
Ann’s heart of service inspired me. In honor of her kindness, I not only took a couple of bags to the food bank, but I also donated the amount of my refunded airline ticket. Abundance flows when we let it.
____________
ithrive31 blends leadership coaching and life coaching—guiding leaders and professionals to unleash their full potential in order to thrive at work and at home. If you enjoy our content, we invite you to subscribe to our newsletter here.
Meet our coaches:
Miki Huntington, M.A., CPC Lauren Foxwell, MBA Stacey Walter Dorene MacVey, PCC Marli Overman, PHR, CPC
