Last November, which in some ways feels like a hundred years ago, I got to travel to Poland and Slovakia with another teacher and a group of students from my school. In addition to learning a lot about World War II history and the two countries we visited, I also learned about the kinds of people I want to have as partners in life. I noticed that some of the students in the group paid attention to the tour guides and sights; others not so much. Some children were attentive to what was going on around them. They listened to our guides and soaked in information. Others had a hard time sticking to the program.
Whether they focused on the tour or not, I realized that I cared more about how they rated on a different metric. The best traveling companions were the travelers who noticed everything. A few of the children kept their eyes and ears open for what wasn't being stated directly. These people noticed when others fell behind the group or lost items. They saw when grabbing someone's bag off the airline carousel would be helpful. They observed who had been served and who was still waiting for food. Some of our travelers noticed who was doing what to facilitate our travel agenda, and they stepped in to help.
Additionally, the two other adults on the trip (Hi, KM and MT!) noticed and smoothed everything. They saw what needed to get done and did it, who was walking alone and joined up. They saw not only what was happening in real time, but also what could go wrong two steps ahead, solving issues before they became problems. I learned from them about seeing the whole scene and figuring out what I could do to improve everyone's experience.
Which of course reminds me of Disney World. I'm not so interested in the pick-me (a term I learned from kiddos on the trip) characters roaming the parks posing for photos. Instead, I'm low-key (another idea the under-21 travelers taught me) fascinated by the underground tunnels in theme parks. Everything visible runs smoothly only because many people below the surface work to keep things moving. Most of what we can accomplish in our lives is possible because of the many people who help us, often in invisible ways. If we keep looking around to find what's invisible, and more important who's invisible, we can (1) help and (2) express our gratitude.
Have you ever noticed someone or something that facilitated your success? Please share thoughts in the comments.
Thanks for the reminder. Unfortunately I think it’s often easier to notice the problems (and perhaps people) holding you back than to register the ones who help clear the path ahead.
So true, to notice them and get frustrated instead of thinking about how we can see what’s getting in their way and clearing the path.
Nice column.
Thanks!