The Mirror - The Perfect Passenger
When do we get to a point in our lives when we are such a rule follower that we ignore our comfort? I have the privilege of flying pretty frequently for business and for pleasure. I am on a plane twice a week and have noticed that I am the perfect passenger for planes. I arrive at the airport two hours before my flight departure. I follow all rules and FAA regulations regarding luggage. Once I am on the plane, I follow all directions and abide by all rules. My seat and tray table stay in the full upright locked position. My bag is below the seat in front of me, my seatbelt is fastened, and my electronic devices are in airplane mode.
Others are not “the perfect passenger”. They keep their tray tables down past the announcement, take phone calls after the plane starts taxiing, and my biggest complaint is that they keep their seats in the "reclined" position. Planes are only so big why would you even give the option for a person to recline their seat. Most people do not care about the comfort of those around them. For the longest time, I did not know the seats could recline back. In fact, I still do not know how to recline my seat, as if I am being kept from learning how to recline my seat. It was as if the universe designed this secret club from which I was excluded. The knowing….
The relevance of this post is to highlight that I place my comfort below the comfort of others. I will often sit in discomfort to avoid making others uncomfortable. This pattern has been consistent for most of my life. I sit in the back seat so others are comfortable in the front. I go last so others can go first. I hold doors so others do not have to. I recycle to save the planet. I do stuff around the house, so my husband does not have to worry about it. The list is endless and also trivial.
At what price do we worry about others' comfort over ourselves. Did you ever see a meme picture of a battery icon that is close to being fully discharged and needs to be recharged - the caption usually states, "You would not let this happen to your phone. Why do you let it happen to YOU." This resonates with me because I often let my battery get low and completely discharge before I take time for myself. I am then usually forced to go through a rough day or period where I have mood swings or even get sick - all at the expense of worrying more about the external rather than the internal.
In conclusion, we must decide what is important enough to sacrifice our comfort. We do not want to harm others, but we want to be mindful of our own comfort and self-preservation. If we do not look out for ourselves, no one else will, and I empower you to be flexible when following the rules. Some people are habitual line crossers, but that does not mean you need to be. But it is ok to bend the rules a little. - Go ahead and recline your seat on that tiny airplane!
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