I returned from a trip to Kansas City, Mo., yesterday.
As is wont when I travel, I get behind on email, Twitter messages, and so on… which would normally send me into a tizzy.
But this time, I was able to forestall said tizzy because of a number of “small things.”
Which made me happy.
Such as:
My flights to and from KC were on Southwest Airlines
… not my favorite airline, not least because of the lack of assigned seating.
In recent years, though, Southwest has made strides towards combating the “cattle call” (that’s what we called it) of people rushing to get into the aircraft, by organizing its boarding process via assigned numbers.
(If they can do that, though, I don’t know why they can’t assign seats… but whatever.)
On my flight out, I was in the last boarding group.
My main concern was to find an overhead luggage bin that would accommodate my carry-on bag… because you know how people love to stuff those bins with complete crap that they shouldn’t be bringing on board to begin with.
I found a bin – and an aisle seat (my favorite) next to a young mother with a three-year-old and toddler. I took the seat, and then realized why it was empty (bawling babies on aircrafts, anyone?).
Oh well.
Instead I found that, through the flight, not only were the kids extremely well-behaved, they didn’t bawl once.
And the baby played with me!
Happiness.
When in KC, my friend Ann Wylie
had organized a small dinner party after the event that we were both speaking at.
It was great to be able to meet Shelly Kramer, see Lauren Fernandez and Justin Goldsborough again, spend a little time with Ann, and meet Donna Schwartze.
Happiness.
And after dinner was done, Ann drove me over the state line, so that I can now say I’ve been in both Kansas City, Mo, and Kansas City, KC.
And I didn’t even have to click my heels three times to get home!
Double happiness.
The doorman at the hotel I was staying at in KC
called every woman he encountered “young lady.”
Didn’t matter if they were 5, 15, 35 or 75.
“Young lady” they were.
If that doesn’t engender happiness, what does?
When I got home,
I found my husband had stocked up on peanuts.
Because they’re my favorite snack.
And Lola, our basset hound, saw me approaching and did this crazy little circular dance that I can only describe as “Happy Feet Meet Lola Basset.”
Double, triple and quadruple happiness!
They say happiness lies in small things.
I found a ton of happiness this week.
Did you?
Image: Michael Berenz via Flickr, CC 2.0
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Hey Shonali,
It’s funny how we can often take these little happy moments and other things for granted. What a great way to remind us Shonali – thank you.
It’s looks like you’re our stroke of luck this week and that you’re the new yellow brick road we should be following ;). Shonali meets Dorothy eh lol.
Had I gotten to my seat and seen a woman with a toddler – I would have probably started crying before I sat down lol. It’s one of my greatest pet peeves on planes – that and smelly person next to me, sick person, and “ultra-chatty tell me everything about your life” person. That’s why I sleep on planes lol. But in all honesty – I always fee bad for the mom with the crying baby – it’s not like there’s much she can do – and since I can’t do much either – I deall with irritation by tearing hehe.
As for the doorman – I like him already. I’ll take young lady every time over “ma’aaam”! ;)
Well, it looks like all in all you had a great time – both meeting new friends and seeing some old ones. I’m happy that all went smoothly for you.
And thanks again for reminding us to take the time and notice and to not take the little things for granted. After all, life is made up of many little things and not one big one!
And by the way – if you like peanuts – or nuts of any kind – you’d be quite happy here in the Middle East – it’s one of the speicalities – mixed nuts and all.
Anyhooo, this comment is officially as long as your post so I’ll shut up now hehe.
Welcome back
Hope your week is as happy as your trip
Cheers