The men and women who serve in the United States Armed Forces deserve more gratitude and appreciation than they usually receive. Over the last few years, airlines have modified their boarding procedures to give some preference to uniformed service members, who are allowed to board after people with special needs, first class ticket holders and members of special travel clubs.
In early April, a woman boarding an airplane after first class and military passengers witnessed a kind act of appreciation in the seating section near the cockpit. Ahead of the passenger, a female soldier sharply dresses in her dress uniform was approached by a male passenger sitting in first class; the man apologized to the young woman and said something to the effect of “I seem to be in your seat, what does your ticket say?” The confused soldier looked at her boarding pass and told the man her seat number in the economy class; the man took his carry on luggage and headed to the back of the cabin where the soldier would have traveled in the middle seat of a row in the center aisle, certainly the most cramped space in a passenger airplane.
As the astonished soldier took her new and comfortable seat in first class, the woman who witnessed the act of gratitude and appreciation towards an American serving in the Armed Forces decided to show some appreciation herself by writing a note and sending it over to the kind passenger. Along with the note, which highlighted the fact that acts of kindness like the one he had just carried out make the world a better place, the woman included a few dollars to treat the man to a snack or beverage of his choice. As it happens the unselfish man politely declined the offer with a smile.
This sweet tale of generosity quickly turned viral when the woman shared it on Facebook, where it gathered thousands of shares and likes. One of the comments that this social media update elicited underscored the fact that only people, not celebrities and certainly not politicians, can make America great again with actions by selfless people who enjoy being good to others.