May 13, 2011 (Not So) Random Acts of Kindness
I found myself in the ER last week (with my son) and after a few wrong turns, ended up in the loading dock rather than the Emergency Room doors. I left the car and ran in with my son (he’s ok).
Once I had him checked-in and attended to by a nurse, I heard a towing your car announcement and ran to move my car – thinking it might be blocking an important emergency vehicle. I was shaken, trying to stay calm for my son’s sake and not sure where to go. I headed out of the lot and found that I was being followed by a man in a golf cart. Noticing that I was visibly shaken and distraught, he waved me down, took my car keys, and offered to take me back to the hospital in the golf cart and later park my car. I was filled with relief and gratitude and felt as though the heavens had delivered me an angel. He later found me in the ER, returned my keys and told me where to find my car. This all happened at a congested city location here in San Francisco.
Was this a random act of kindness? No, it was an act carried out by a very thoughtful, observant person whose job was to patrol the hospital grounds and make sure that people and cars were moving in the right direction. He could have easily yelled at me for parking in the loading dock but instead, he saw the emotion and pain I was carrying and chose to help me. This is what I know: his name is Len. I have called the hospital to get his full name so I might send him a note of thanks. They haven’t called me back yet.
Why I am sharing this on our “event intelligence” blog? Well, think about how many times as event professionals we have encountered a guest who has had a bad day, a flight cancellation, a late night, a hard drive that crashed, you name it. Like me last week, these guests might arrive distraught, tired, and turned upside down in unfamiliar surroundings. Take the time and pay careful attention to the people behind the name badge. Bestow a purposeful Act of Kindness. Turn their day around. Be more like Len.
Thank you Len for taking the time to help me. You are an inspiration and I will find you.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.