For the past 3 days, I have encountered families with children, older men and women, students
and the likes stranded and ‘forced’ to sleep overnight in the airport. As you may or may not
know, I work with an airline out of PHL Airport and every night for the last 3 days – I seen terror.
Not the terror that the news talks about, not the one that has us scared to travel due to fear, I
am talking about hardcore terror. The type of terror that leaves you with no other alternatives or
choices.
The news station made its way to the airport to interview a few people who has been stranded,
some of them on a two-day spree. I walk past them while they are recording for the evening
news to watch as Americans scream at an airline that has canceled their flights back to back
and sent them on their way. I went back out with 10 bottles of water to give it to them because I
felt the need to do so – Some were asleep but woke up to take a bottled water – I counted how
many thanked me. It was not equal to the number that received.
Responsibility
I started to get intrigued by the word responsibility and accountability which are two big ass
words in Comfort Killing philosophy. Here is a story of from one of them:
“The airline canceled our flight, we missed our connecting flight and now we are
sleeping in the airport because they didn’t even give us a hotel. I hate this airline. I will
never book again with so and so. (Not the airline I work with) “
“This is the second flight they canceled going to Orlando and now, my kids and I have to
sleep here because they couldn’t do anything for us”
“I am so mad right now, I have work tomorrow and I don’t live here – there’s nowhere for
me to stay – they can’t do this to us”
The word responsibility is not included in any form of these statements back to me. I listened to
people all day, scream and yell like children, curse and go into a rampage, point at the airline
agents, fight and blame and complain. This is terror. This is not responsibility.
Responsibility is defined as the state of being the person who caused something to happen;
being in charge; getting the credit or blame for acts or decisions.
Decisions
Your decision is the ultimate freedom. People look at a big word like freedom and think it only
means to freedom of speech or anything relating to the constitution – by the way here is the
constitution, did you ever read more than you know? The power of choice and the power within
choices is where you find maximum freedom. The power of thought and what we choose to
think, is maximum freedom. The power of taking responsibility for all your actions is maximum
freedom. The power to not blame, complain or victimize yourself is maximum freedom. What is
going on?
I was terrified. Walking through that airport to go home that night reminded me of something. It
reminded me of how personal choice has been neglected. To have no other alternatives but to
sleep on a filthy ground covered by articles of clothing is terror. Terror is when your airline
cancels a flight and you don’t have enough money for a hotel or a cab ride, or an Uber or
another flight. You have lost power. That is terrifying.
Social Responsibility
Now. I can understand why the news would love to capture this on airport grounds but how did
they know? Who called them? Who wanted them to be involved? I watched as a man with his
kids gestured the newscaster as to say, “Hey, I was the one that called, come interview me
being a victim with my two kids sitting right here watching as I talk about how bad the airline is,
and why they should pay for our hotel and food even though our tickets were $70 each”
I want to help all these people, it is my mission. We ought to make better decisions, we ought to
create wealth to have new alternatives, we ought to have a safe place for our kids, we ought to
keep moving forward.
The real terror happening to our civilization is not taking responsibility. My social responsibility
is teaching MILLIONS how to get uncomfortable. At the very least, teaching one. Which brings
me to the parking garage of the airport where I park on level 6. Earlier in the day I saw two
stranded walking around close to the garage pacing back and forth. I was over there handling
other work with no intentions to go home just yet. To be totally honest, I forgot my car keys and
had to walk back to the office. I took my time to get back towards the parking garage and made
my way to level 6. The smell of marijuana smacked me in my face as the elevator door opened.
I mean it was as if someone JUST finished smoking a big ol’ bong.
The two that I saw earlier pacing back and forth were by the elevator door – They were getting
ready to cuddle and fall asleep on the ground next to an electrical outlet which is prime real
estate at any airport. I wondered. I wonder if they had enough alternative to have their weed
ready and available for any disruptions, interruptions, and as a backup. It’s funny really. They
packed extra weed, instead of ensuring they had extra money for a hotel room.
Remain uncomfortable,
Stacy Cross
P.S Check out this webinar – It’s all about CHOICE