Thankful to live in a world of mostly kind strangers

I had the opportunity to do some air travel at the end of last month. My journey involved four different planes, including one that was delayed enough to make me miss my scheduled connection, and another that ended up with delay upon delay … upon delay.

We’ve all heard horror stories of unruly passengers necessitating emergency landings, or at the very least becoming the subjects of viral videos as they display the absolute worst humanity has to offer.

In my four flights — including some major delays and rescheduling — I never saw that once.

Not even close.

Quite the contrary: As our first plane was preparing to land well over an hour late at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, a flight attendant came over the intercom and said the flight crew was well aware that many of us would have tight and/or missed connections.

She asked those onboard who were not in that situation to please remain seated when we landed to allow those of us who were already lacing on running shoes a chance to exit quickly.

Here’s the amazing thing that happened next. Not only did well over half of the passengers remain seated, many of the seated passengers were cheering on those of us who were exiting.

It’s never a speedy process under any circumstances, so as we frantic few made our way up the aisle, other passengers were asking perfect strangers, “Will you have time?” “How many gates do you have to go?” “Which concourse are you heading to?”

Those questions were followed by encouraging words: “Good luck!” “You’ve got this.” “I hope you make it!”

In spite of my best efforts — and a possible personal record between concourses — I didn’t get there in time, but the delay that followed was definitely improved by those heartening interactions with random strangers.

On the way home, I got to see some beautiful icing on the cake of human kindness.

After boarding for the longest leg of my journey, I noticed a crusty older guy in an aisle seat a couple of rows ahead of me. It soon became clear that he was going to be joined by a weary looking mom traveling alone with that most challenging of combinations: an active toddler and a young baby.

Now from behind, the old guy gave off every appearance of someone who was prepared to hunker down, read his crumpled newspaper, and not have a word to say with anyone, no matter what.

Was I ever wrong.

Not only did he help this mom wrestle her belongings into the awkward overhead bin, before the flight was over he was entertaining the toddler with stories and games, and even held down the fort while the mom made her way to the lavatory to change a diaper on the littlest traveler.

If you only read the headlines or believe half of what is posted on “social” media, you might start to think we live in dark and desperate times with a cruel and heartless population.

My head isn’t buried in the sand. I know there is no shortage of problems.

But on this Thanksgiving week, I am thankful to live in a world where — I am firmly convinced — most of us want the best for each other.

It’s a world where we can cheer on folks we’ve never met and a grumpy old guy can show unconditional love to a harried young mom and her kids.

That’s the kind of world I’m glad to live in.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear readers.

Betty Williamson finds the nicest people everywhere she goes. Reach her at:

[email protected]