As we flew from Walla Walla into Seattle, the sight of Mt St Helen’s piercing the clouds and seeming to appear alongside the plane was breathtaking. This sight pushed the droning engine sound out-of-mind.
Landing in Seattle, the news awaited. Flights cancelled. As I reached to fill a water bottle, the sign above the fountain said “the talking fountain.” With a twist of the handle, a refreshing bubbling sound emerged coaxing a smile and sigh that melted away the anxiety of waiting.
To St. Louis. Connecting flight delayed. A left turn off the main concourse and I was immersed in serenity – soothing music, no hustling and bustling. All the gates were dark in the quiet concourse – like an oasis.
The meeting I had left – the WADE (WA Association of Diabetes Educators) state conference where I spoke about using the social web to build connections without drive time – was an incredibly successful work of art. The first evening members were invited to go to dinner with peers, peers who they were paired with by interest or local networking group. A matchmaking exercise that drew raves.
The email subject line is “Your EarlyBird Check-In Refund.” You see my trip home from the WADE was way different from the plan. And I had paid extra to get the A seating. I lost my positioning in the change (but I did get home!). How wonderful I didn’t have to ask for that refund!
It’s the little surprises that make the day richer, the delays in airports less frustrating, the challenges more appealing, strangers like friends. Imagine if we could conjure simple surprises for our members?