What stinks about hurricanes (besides just about everything) is that they force me to look at the news much more frequently than I ever do, on a daily basis. So, on top of all of the anxiety, prepping for all possible ramifications of Dorian, depressing feelings set in, from reading about yet another tragic shooting and all sorts of other negative news, swirling around on the TV and the internet. However, there was one news story, from a day or so ago, that truly touched my heart and reminded me that people are mostly kind and caring to one another. The world is a mostly good place.
A couple was flying with their young autistic son, who ordinarily loves to fly. Typically, flights have a calming effect on this young man, so his parents were completely mystified when their son got hysterical during take-off during the flight and could not be calmed. The flight attendants warned the parents that the flight could not take off until he was in his seat, but the child was inconsolable. When the flight attendants realized the parents lack of ability to change the situation, they patiently worked with them, sitting with them and allowing the child to sit on his mother’s lap, for take off. Soon, it became evident that the child felt more comfortable lying on the floor of the plane, due to the vibration. So after take off, the people in the first class section, spread a blanket down, so the child could lie on the floor comfortably. A stranger wrote a lovely handwritten note to the mother on a ripped out page of the airline magazine. Here is part of it:
“I commend you for your strength. Do not EVER let anyone make you feel as though you are an inconvenience or a burden. He is a blessing . . . Continue to be superwoman and know you and your family are loved and supported.”
The best part of this story, is that when I chose to write about it today and I did an internet search for it, I found that it was just one of many, many similar stories. One mother put her high-functioning autistic son on an airplane to visit his father with a note to be given to the child’s seat mate, letting him know about his condition, asking the person to be patient and even enclosed 10 dollars for the inconvenience. The kind man sitting next to her 7-year-old son, sent a picture and note back to his mom, saying this:
“(Landon) did ask if we were there yet several times but he was a great travel buddy. We had a good time and played a few rounds of rock-paper-scissors,” Pedraza wrote. “He’s a great kid and you’re a lucky mom.”Pedraza said the $10 “wasn’t necessary” and that he donated it to The Autism Society in honor of Landon.
Both mothers put their stories on social media, and thankfully, these WONDERFUL news stories went viral. Perhaps instead of avoiding the news, like I do these days, I should just be choosier about what I read. There are pages and pages of GOOD news to be read, if you put your mind (and heart) in the right direction.