Random Acts of Kindness

Last night, while driving to pick up our take out dinner, I was brought to tears listening to a story on the radio. I love it, when something, completely out of nowhere, hits me to my core. I rarely listen to the radio. I hate commercials, listening to the same songs over and over. When I do choose radio over C.d.s' it's always KLOVE, our local Christian radio.Something about last night left me longing for a little encouragement. As soon as I changed the channel the radio personality began to tell the story. Definitely a God thing, knowing this was exactly what I needed to hear. For fear of mistelling, I'm copying the story,
full story found here

" Last night, my husband and I got the tragic news that our three-year-old grandson in Denver had been murdered by our daughter’s live-in boyfriend.He is being taken off life support tonight at 9 o’clock and his parents have opted for organ donation, which will take place immediately. Over 25 people will receive his gift tonight and many lives will be saved.This morning, after only a couple hours sleep, my husband and I began to make all arrangements to get him to Denver to be with our daughter. He is currently on business in LA and is flying Southwest.While his employer, Northrop Grumman, made arrangements to get his ticket changed so he could get to Tucson today (which he had to do in order to not spend any extra money) I called Southwest to arrange his flight from Tucson to Denver so he would be stepping off one plane and getting on another. He has several free flights with them so I couldn’t really do it on the website. The ticketing agent was holding back tears throughout the call. I’m actually her step-mother and it’s much more important for my husband to be there than for me to be there. In LAX, the lines to both check a bag and get through security were exceptional. He got to the airport two hours early and was still late getting to his plane. Every step of the way, he’s on the verge of tears and trying to get assistance from both TSA and Southwest employees to get to his plane on time.
According to him, everyone he talked to couldn’t have cared less. When he was done with security, he grabbed his computer bag, shoes and belt and ran to his terminal in his stocking feet.
When he got there, the pilot of his plane and the ticketing agent both said, “Are you Mark? We held the plane for you and we’re so sorry about the loss of your grandson.” The pilot held the plane that was supposed to take off at 11:50 until 12:02 when my husband got there. As my husband walked down the Jetway with the pilot, he said, “I can’t thank you enough for this.”
The pilot responded with, “They can’t go anywhere without me and I wasn’t going anywhere without you. Now relax. We’ll get you there. And again, I’m so sorry.” "

This story stung my heart on so many levels. First having a precious baby boy, 11 months old, I can not imagine any harm coming to him. My world would be shaken to the core. I honestly don't know what my reaction would be. My heart broke for the mother who lost her son. The grandparents that would never know the joy of his kindergarten graduation, birthday parties, and holidays spent spoiling their grandson.

But this story, coming in a time when there is so much hatered in the world. People killing the innocent bistanders, everying taking human life so insignificantly. Here was one person, who not even knowing this man, did something so beautiful. 12 minutes, I'm sure is not a lot to most people. If your 12 minutes late, hey at least its not 15 right??? But the writer brings up a valid point, 12 minutes to airlines is an eternity. And for the pilot to wait for this one individual for 12 minutes to ensure that He would be united with his daughter who was in so much pain, well that my friends, is what it's all about. Random acts of kindness. For strangers, for friends, for family. Doing something without any regard for your self, knowing it's what is right.

I am both moved, and encouraged. There is still beauty in the world. In a time when there is so much hate, beauty remains.

Adios Mis Amigos,