SHORT AND SIMPLE!

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This week, I have some travel ahead. It concerns a fascinating magazine assignment involving a brilliant businessman and personality whom I have always wanted to visit with. And I am also looking forward to meeting up with a good friend in that city. She was gracious enough to have offered to pick me up at the airport. Now this may not sound like much at first. But it is a stress reliever in today's world where travel requires much more planning, along with the Winter-into-Spring type of weather across so many parts of the country (as we've seen with the recent travel delays in the Northeast) and lines of fellow passengers. A few years ago, I recall watching a documentary about the development of the airplane, and the commentator mentioned that most people today view commercial air travel as as a "necessary inconvenience". To me, it is enjoyable and a luxury I do not take for granted. There is so much that goes into making a rather ordinary flight enjoyable and comfortable--from the attitudes of the airline employees, to the courtesy they extend with a smile, and then of course the end result we all relish: having our baggage arrive at the same airport that we do. And promptly!

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Fortunately for me, I lucked out. My friend who is picking me up at the airport knows the city very well and even the building where I will be dropped off. Imagine the opposite: a cab driver who has no idea where your address is, the resulting delay and then the stress level that goes through the roof! We've all experienced both great service and surly service. But even though times have changed where there are few meals served on board a flight, the seating in Coach Class offers less leg room, and other amenities have been phased out due to costs, whenever I have a great flight experience I always make it a point to tell the Flight Crew after we've parked at the Gate and we're all deplaning: "That was a great flight". You can see the positive effect this has on the crew! Courtesy works both ways. And many crews are subject to either no feedback from passengers or plenty of complaints. This week, think about trying this simple act of kindness wherever you receive good service. Whether it's the Deli for a Bagel, or a department store. You'll be surprised how many people are starved to hear something positive delivered to them by someone who really appreciates their efforts! Call it "Good Karma" or whatever you wish. The one thing I have learned is that an act of simple kindness like this "makes bad days better and good days great"!

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Ciao for now! :-)