KINDNESSISCONTAGIOUS

　　My9-year-olddaughterandIwereflyingfromourhomeinCharlotte,North

　　Carolina,tospendaweekwithmyhusbandinMiami,Florida.Mikehadbeen

　　inFloridaforfivemonthsworkingforanInternetstart-upcompany.We

　　wereexcitedaboutthetripbecausewehadseenhimonlyfivetimesinfive

　　months,andKalliemissedherdadterribly.

　　AsusualontheCharlotte-to-Miamiflight,theplanewastotallyfull.I

　　hadnoticedatroopofBoyScoutsatthegateandcommentedtomydaughter

　　thatifanythinghappened,wewouldbeOKwithallthoseScoutsonour

　　flight!LittledidIknow.

　　Becausewedidnotgetourboardingpassesuntilwearrivedatthegate,

　　KallieandIcouldnotgetseatstogetherandwereseparatedbytheaisle.

　　Thatwasn'tsuchabigdeal,exceptthatKalliewasnervousaboutthetrip

　　andhadcountedonmyreadingtoherthewholeway.Tryingtoreadacross

　　theaislewouldbeachallenge.

　　Whenthetwopassengerswhosharedmyrowboardedtheplane,Iaskedif

　　theywouldswitchplaceswithKallieandme,sothatwecouldbetogether

　　andsothatshecouldsitnexttothewindow.Theyrefused,sayingthey

　　thoughttheyshouldstayintheirassignedseats.Meanwhile,amotherand

　　herthreechildrenwereinapanicseveralrowsaheadofus.Therehadbeen

　　amistakeintheirboardingpasses,thewholefamilyhadbeensplitup.

　　Thepassengersinherrowalsorefusedtomoveelsewhere.Themothercould

　　holdherbaby,buther6-year-oldsonandhisolderbrotherhadbeen

　　scatteredaroundtheplane.Shewasveryconcernedabouttheyoungerboy

　　sittingwithstrangers.Shewasintears,yetnobodyofferedtohelpher.

　　SuddenlytheScoutleaderstoodupandsaid,“Ma'am,Ithinkwecanhelp

　　you.”Hethenspentfiveminutesrearranginghisgroupsothatadequate

　　spacewasavailableforthefamily.Theboysfollowedhisdirections

　　cheerfullyandwithoutcomplaint,andthemother'sreliefwasobvious.

　　Kallie,however,wasbeginningtopanicatthethoughtofnotbeingnext

　　toawindoworhermother.Itoldherthattherewasn'tanythingIcould

　　do;wewouldhavetositwherewewere.Amazingly,themansittingnextto

　　theScoutmaster(notaScouthimself),turnedaroundtomeandasked,

　　“Wouldyouandyourdaughterlikeourseats?”referringtohimselfandthe

　　Scoutmaster.Hesaidhewascrampedinthewindowseatandwouldreally

　　prefertheaisle.Wetradedseatsandcontinuedourtrip,verymuch

　　relievedtobetogetherandwatchthesceneryfromKallie'swindowseat.

　　WouldthatmanhaveofferedushisseatiftheScoutshadn'tdonesofor

　　themomandherchildren?Idon'tknow.ButIdoknowthatkindnessis

　　contagious,andgooddeedsbegetgooddeeds!