Color Me Rosy

give your attitude a high-five

The items may have shifted and could fall out.

I was boarding a Southwest Airlines flight to somewhere a couple years ago; as I made my way down the aisle to an open seat I was held up by a man who was attempting to place his oversized bag in the overhead compartment. It seemed to be obvious to everyone except this man there was no way his bag was going into that space. But he was determined and started becoming very upset. He was upset to the point of cursing the airline, the airplane, the people who designed the baggage compartments, the people who sell bags that don't fit into the compartments and even became very angry at the flight attendant who eventually carried his bag to the front and checked it for him. As I waited for the situation to be resolved I had a few thoughts - what could I have said or done to help? This person's anger was preventing him from seeing so many incredible, amazing, positive and simply miraculous things about our situation. So in that moment I made a mental list:
1. On Southwest Airlines you don't have to pay for checking a bag.
2. Our flight was not delayed.
3. We were about to fly at 37,000 feet above the earth, that's awesome!
4. We didn't have to drive to our destination
5. We were about to travel about 1,000 miles within the space of a couple hours.
6. This cabin will be pressurized for our comfort!
7. We didn't have to walk.

When I thought of number seven I was tempted to suggest to this man that if he didn't like that his bag doesn't fit in the compartment he was welcome to walk to our destination. Knowing that his disposition was beyond comprehending my sarcasm, I kept my mouth shut.

This experience is a reminder to me that no matter our circumstances, there is always something positive that we can think of which can diffuse our anger. Yes, even in situations worse that oversized baggage. Give a try, next time something makes you angry, think of something positive about your situation and if you are really trying I know that you will find it.

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