As part of the travel deal that extended my time at home in
South Dakota, I was also given 19 dollars in food vouchers to use the FSD
airport. Despite the high price of airport food, I also love shifting through
the various vendors to see what snacks would best accompany me on the plane.
So, yesterday, after I checked in, I excitedly stepped to one of the two eating
establishtments in the four-gate terminal. I grabbed a banana from the counter
and ordered a small soy latte. Because I’m always neurotically prepared, I had
the food vouchers in my hand and innocently asked the server
Do you accept these?
She nodded, confirming my assumption, and suggested I load
up on candy and mini hummus snack containers in order for my purchase to total
the amount of my vouchers. I started to grab to gum just as the two other women
in line approached the check out counter with the food purchases, a muffin with
coffee and a sandwich, respectively. I stopped my gum grabbing and requested
that the working woman put their purchases on my bill. The two women looked
shocked and started to refuse, I politely stopped their refusals to explain my
reasoning.
I was home for a
wedding and I was suppose to go back to Texas yesterday. I was dreading my
return, regretting how fast the weekend passed. When I got to the airport, they
told me my flight was overbooked and offered me a flight today, a travel
voucher, and these food vouchers. I immediately accepted American Airlines
generous offer and considered it a blessing because it gave me one more day at
home with my family. To that end, I’m happy to share these food vouchers with
you.
The two women thanked me profusely and the two women behind
the counter grew smiles that spanned the width of their faces. As I waited for
my soy latte, the woman whose sandwich my travel voucher paid for inquired
about my trip and general whereabouts. I relayed the (very) abridged version of
my story
I’m a teacher on the
border of Texas and Mexico. I’m with a two year program called two for America,
I have one month left and I’m finished with my two year contract and then,
(lifting my shoulders and extending my hands) I’m not sure what I’m going to
do.
Just as her thanks earlier were many, she offered
congratulations and informed me that her sister was a professor in Houston.
Then, she thanked me again and remarked
We have another
beautiful teacher
As she walked to her gate, the woman behind the counter
handed me a large soy latte with an explanation “I made you a large, that was
so sweet.” I reassured her that I actually wasn’t an especially kind person,
but I felt so blessed by the extra day in South Dakota, the travel voucher, and
the food voucher that sharing them seemed inherent and the only way I could
thank the Universe for working in my favor the day before. The relaxed eyes and
smile that crept upon her face told me that she knew my motivation, as if she
too had been touched by the Universe recently. I gently grabbed my latte and proceeded to my
gate. After the gate attendant made the initial boarding announcement, I
visited the restroom to prevent any need of using the on-plane facilities.
While I was washing my hand, the older woman whose coffee and muffin was
tallied into my food voucher asked if I was the “nice young lady” who bought
her food. I nodded my head to answer her question and she continued to offer
thanks. I retold her what a wonderful gift the vouchers offered me the day
before and it was truly my pleasure to share them with her. We spilt the same
smile the woman earlier afforded me, the smile induced by Universal workings,
as we tossed our paper towels in the nearly full garbage can.
I don’t think I’m an exceptionally generous person. In fact,
allowing a sandwich, muffin, and coffee to be included on my food voucher bill
didn’t require an ounce of generousity on my behalf. Rather, yesterday, when I
depleted the food vouchers given to me, I felt as if I was getting something in return. The smiles imparted by the two
women provoked a wildly deep peace within me, a reminder that the Universe
always has a story to share with me, a reminder that I’m so well taken care of.
American Airlines offered me 19 dollars in food vouchers and I shared them with
strangers. Per this interaction, my story, momentarily, intertwined with two
beautiful women. This communion was tied with Universal love. I’m so grateful to be returning to Texas with
such a powerful force.
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