Passengers were complaining that someone was watching a movie and it was loud. The gentleman was approached and asked to either please wear headphones or turn down his volume.

Then it was discovered that this same person was sitting in a seat that wasn’t his assigned one. Not to mention that it was an upgraded seat that he hadn’t purchased.

As we do, another flight attendant was asked to handle the issue since what had asked to be done hadn’t been.

This man shared that his elderly mother had fallen that morning and he was trying to get to her. She wasn’t doing well. It seemed as though this would be a trip to say goodbye.

He had moved from his original seat to give the other people in the same set of three seats some room. He was watching the movie to just try to occupy his mind.

He truly didn’t mean to be a bother and he said that it felt like everything he had done was wrong.

On one hand, yes.

On the other hand, here was someone just trying to be out of the way and trying to fold into himself and get through getting to his mother.

As the saying goes, everyone is battling something.

All of us.

Battles rage inside of each and every one of us. And at times, we need to protect ourselves externally. Sometimes that means that we try to make ourselves small and hide in plain sight in something external from something internal.

I was told from a young age to treat others the way that I wanted to be treated.

Kindness matters.

I hope that is a lesson that I never forget.