Perspective

*sigh*

It’s Tuesday, 7:20pm and I’m in the taxi on the way home from the airport.
I flew from Wellington to Christchurch to spend two days inducting a new team member (who is awesome by the way). But I forgot how fatigued I get when travelling for work.

The induction went well, I did everything I could to ensure I gave my newbie the best start, some friendly faces to connect with and just a good foundation for success. It will be a work in progress but I remember back when I first started with this organisation, my induction was a little haphazard and since then, each introduction to a new team (twice now) has been, well, shite. Severely lacking in information and support.

I’m very independent and self sufficient, throw me in the deep end and I will BECOME the shark. But sometimes, I just don’t want to, ya know? Sometimes it’s nice to have someone take their time and ensure you’ve got all the trimmings.

I looked at this induction from a different perspective, not just what would a new person need but what would they want? A friendly face? Connection? A lunch buddy?

I think I did well.

I missed my bed and my kids immensely (oh and my darling husband of course). Taxis to and from places have been stressful and I’ve always been crippled by my fear of flying.

But for some reason this trip was and is different.

My taxi driver right now is wearing orange sunglasses, driving too fast, playing loud ish pop music, didn’t have his seat belt on for half the drive and stinks like cigarettes. It’s gross and terrifying and yet, nothing. No sweat, no teeth grinding, no death gripping my seat belt until my knuckles are white.
In fact I didn’t do that on the plane either…..

THE PLANE.

My gosh

WAIT. OK. HOLD ON.

It gets better.

Not only was I not afraid or almost vomiting during take off and landing but I actively engaged my fellow passengers in conversation, yes, I STARTED the conversation.

The return flight was the best. To my left and in the window seat was a woman with some flowers.
I think I told her they looked nice, I don’t remember but it started a conversation about how they were sweating in their little plastic wrapper. She bought them for herself as a treat, which I thought was rather sweet, after all, why shouldn’t we show ourselves love the same way we show it to others?

Our chat dipped in and out here and there.

I finally asked her what book she was reading. She began to tell me about it without giving away too much, we got into a great discussion around perspective and over thinking, sometimes you just cannot control what happens in life or regret the choices you’ve made. In another life you might have made them anyway or ended up worse off. Decisions are just decisions that can take you down different paths. Smiling at someone can have an impact bigger than you will ever know.

She had recently got engaged and showed me a stunning ring. We chatted about weddings and family (and how you can’t change them) and then she offered me her book. Naturally I refused because that’s the polite thing to do (right?). But she insisted and told me she had read it many times and that she has other copies.

I accepted, wow, I was just given a rather neat and insightful book by a total stranger. It gave me a whole new perspective on human interaction and chance. I walked off that plane beaming. I haven’t even read the first page but I know I’ll enjoy it. I plan on passing it on again when I am done. Maybe I’ll write a note in it for the next person, maybe not.

Either way, my taxi driver might actually crash this damn car but that’s out of my control. I guess, I shouldn’t worry, because what good would worrying do? I could write this blog entry instead.

And I have.

What a lovely evening.