The little things

     I am currently sitting in the small but cute and cozy Santa Barbara Airport. It is only 5 in the morning but the airport is packed with travelers of all ages. Some seem calm and collected, others stressed and a bit frazzled and frankly most seem half asleep, which I do not blame them. 5 am is such an ungodly time for a flight. As I watch each passenger come and go (in a non stalkerish type of way-I promise!), I cannot help but wonder, where are they going and why are they going there?
     Each of us has a unique life story; a collection of experiences special to us. Life takes us in all these twists and turns and the only way is to go with it. There are things we can fight but many things are out of our grasp. Our lives are these never ending journeys complete with happiness and sadness, failure and success, love and heartbreak, sickness and health.
     The funny thing is that while I can observe each traveler, I also know that I will most likely never see them again. Even though each person is a stranger to me, I cannot help but wonder if these people will have some impact on my life. But even here I am conflicted, why am I thinking about how they will affect me, I need to be thinking how can I affect them? The most I can do is offer a smile or a "good morning," yet even through these small gestures, I see how people light up.
     I do not know these peoples's names, occupations or life stories but I as a sit and ponder, I realize that even the little things can make a difference.  Maybe one of these people is upset and is just in need of a smile or acknowledgement, or maybe some of these people are so irritated by the early hour that they just find me a nuisance. I cannot say and I will never know, but I at least I know that I tried. I have challenged myself to give a smile and a good morning to as many strangers as I can.
     Here is the question for all y'all today: How can you add a little light and happiness into today? Even the little things can make a world of difference...



AN UPDATE ON MY CHALLENGE:
     I think that God definitely has a sense of humor. Just as I had finished the blog post, I went to board my Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.  I went to find my seat and as I sat down, the woman in the seat next to me said "oh good, at least i'll be sitting next to someone who smells nice!" For the next 25 minutes, she proceeded to tell me her whole life story. We had a nice conversation and as I proceeded to exit the plane, she wished me the best in my studies at Point Loma and I wished her to have a great few weeks with her sister in Pennsylvania. The more I smiled and said "good morning" the more strangers I made friends with at LAX. It really hit me how a few nice words, or even a gesture as small as a smile could change the attitude of a person. I will probably never see Dawn again, or the other "friends" I made at the airport but at least I know I helped to brighten up someones day.