Since my frustration level has begun to subside somewhat, and I've got a bit of time on my hands (possibly a good 9 hours unless I can get on as a standby -- oh joy), the contemplative mood is striking me.
After this morning's events it's got me thinking, how much do our own lives and life decisions effect those of others? Clearly when we make a point of having some type of impact on other people the effect is going to be greater, but what about when we're simply minding our own business and in some shape or form it has an effect on people that we wouldn't have imagined?
For example, Joe Schmo probably was thinking that when he called in sick today that the only people that it would make a difference to would be himself and his coworkers who would have to pick up his slack. I'm sure that he didn't realize that the weight of his absence would be intensified by the absence of the four other people who would call in sick. Or that as a result his coworkers would be very shorthanded and ill-prepared to handle the number of people who would be coming to the ticket counter. I'm sure it didn't cross his mind that due to being understaffed many people would end up missing their flights. Or that by missing their flights those people would then continue the domino effect by having to rearrange their plans, thus effecting the lives of even more people. The gentleman who was behind me in line was on his way to a business meeting, that was now needing to be rescheduled -- it's merely hypothetical, but what if by having to reschedule that meeting everyone involved will have more time to mull things over and may go in a different direction than they were going to go in had the first meeting taken place? Could a business deal in Chicago really fall through on account of Joe Schmo calling in sick to his job in Podunkville, WA? It's probably not the case, but in essence, it very well could be possible.
We may not realize it, but as individualized as our lives can be we are all still very much interconnected. Even the little things that we do, that we say, are capable of carrying more weight and reaching farther than it would seem. We really can effect the lives of others by making a simple, mundane decision in our own life. It's a little bit crazy, but highly fascinating. . .for me atleast. I think I may have just guilted myself into never calling in sick again. Wait, nope, scratch that -- but I will be more mindful of how my actions, my life, may factor in to someone else's life.
As for now though, I'm off to find all of the happening hangout spots in the airport -- I'm sure there's tons.
Get well soon Joe Schmo.
1 comment:
i like this thought. we all DO affect each other. actively.
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