The Kindness of Strangers

Well, if you just looked at the score of the Alabama v. Arkansas game, you might think that yesterday was a horrible day here in Fayetteville. Well, I'm happy to report that it wasn't a total loss for our family, thanks to the kindness of strangers.

We decided to be courageous yesterday and take Boo to his first collegiate football game. As a student, B-man gets a student ticket and a spouse ticket ($1/each) but isn't allowed to buy anymore student tickets. And, as crazy as it sounds, our baby boy, who is going to sit in our lap the whole time, has to have a ticket too! So, off we went to the game with only 2 tickets in hand, hoping to not pay an outrageous price to get all 3 of us into the game.

Near the lot where we parked there was a man selling tickets and he sold us a "single" for less than the value of the ticket!! Super nice! I thought for sure we'd have to pay a high price and this nice man gave us a deal of sorts because it was for the baby. So things were looking up. We had found a good parking spot, bought Boo a ticket, and were on the shuttle bus to take us to the stadium. To make a long story short, we all got into the game and I met B-man and Boo in the student section to watch the game. We were a little late, so we ended up in the upper level student section. Well, Boo was getting a little cranky, so I walked around with him under the bleachers for a while. I then came back to B-man and pulled out Boo's blanket so he could sit on the space in front of us. I was just talking and said, "I wish we had some shade". Well, apparently I said this just as a stadium worker (think red sports coat and tie, not EVENT STAFF t-shirt) walked by and he stopped and looked at me and said, "Do you need shade"? I paused and for a second and almost said no but on second thought, said "yes". His response was, "How long do you need?" Well, now I was starting to think we were about to get a major hookup, so I said, "How long can you give me?" with a big smile on my face and he smiled and said, "Come with me". So, off we went...out of the student section, past the EVENT STAFF t-shirt folks, and down a hall into the Club level lounge! Complete with a/c, big screen TVs and CAKE!!! He lowered his voice and told us to hide our student passes and act like we knew what we're doing! ;) No problem, we were super cool! So, there we were getting the inside look at how the wealthy live it up at the games. Let me say....it was n-i-c-e! Our new found friend kept coming to check on us and we were sure to graciously thank him at each encounter.

We decided to wander around a little bit and found that downstairs, was the club level seating that was open to the field! What a view of the game!! Alas, if only the Hogs had been playing well.

During our last encounter with red sports coat guy, he says to us, "Well, I'm there (pointing to the location where we first met him) for every home game" and walked away. B-man looked at me and said, "Do you think he's trying to tell us something"? I think for sure he is, don't you?

So, the whole thing got me thinking...stay with me folks, I'm going somewhere with this. We greatly benefited from the kindness of this man. He helped make Boo's first football game very memorable for us. He didn't have to do this. He just was walking by and overheard us, and stopped what he was doing to assist. But, it goes further than that. Just think about him and how he feels for having helped. He kept coming to check on us and was so nice. I could see in him how he was rewarded too...because we accepted his offer! Does this make sense? My point is, that when offered help, assistance, or an upgrade, etc. you're probably not putting the other person out. In fact, you're giving them the opportunity to do something good. They gain reward from being the helper. Don't you feel that way when you are able to help someone? Especially a stranger? It just makes you feel good. And isn't it contagious? When someone does something nice for you, it makes you look for opportunities to pass kindness on to others. Also, when others accept your help and are gracious in return, it makes you want to give more.

So, the next time someone offers to help you, don't just say, "No, that's okay". Let them help and you both will be rewarded. And maybe this world would be a better place.

Here are some photos from the day.

Game Day! This is us in the upper student section.

Go Hogs!

Boo Bear asleep in Daddy's arms on a couch in the club lounge. Thank you, red coat man!

The view from the club seats!!

Boo ridin in his baby bjorn. Mode of transportation for the day.

The view of where we were from where we ended up!

(it was packed during the first quarter...not so much during the 4th)

I spy a pearly white! Do you?

Have a great week!!!