Who Will You Surprise Today?

With the exception of birthday parties thrown in my honor, I love a surprise. Why? The older we get the harder it is to have someone create an unexpected moment or memory. Too often we’ve been there, done that. When we are taken by surprise, we feel vibrant, alive and appreciative. At least I did last week while up in the air.

“We have a brother and sister who are on their first solo flight with us today to visit their Dad,” said the Southwest flight attendant, “and they are going to be helping us serve snacks. Please use your manners and say please and thank you to show respect as they learn.”

Wow! This is a first, and I was flooded with the impact of this one gesture.

1. Making memories. Those two kids will never forget this moment. Not only will they be telling their Dad and all their friends, but they’ll be telling their own kids about the day they passed peanuts and pretzels in the clouds. Heck, it made a memory for me I’ll never forget. And Southwest will be anchored to this moment. Smart, eh?
2. Reducing fear. Not sure whether these kids were the least bit nervous about flying solo, but we all know that action reduces fear. By putting these kids to work, the flight attendant reduced their stress by getting them engaged in the process.
3. Crew got a break. By asking for help, the attendants got a faster start on serving drinks and reduced their work load. Pretty cool.
4.  Manners count. In a graceful way the attendant got to remind everyone of the gift of manners.

What’s your surprise story? This motivational speaker wants to know….