“How dare you make me check my bag. Who do you think you are? I bet you didn’t even go to school and are just a Flight Attendant because that’s you’re only option”

I blinked back the tears as I thought of the passengers words that had been screamed at me earlier that night in front of the entire plane. But it was 1am now and I still hadn’t had dinner so I slowly pulled into Wendy’s.

 I pulled up and waited… and waited… The lady said she would be with me in a minute in an exasperated tone. Shifting in my uniform I waited 5 minutes before finally squeaking out a, “Excuse me, do you think I might be able to order a chicken wrap?”

Silence.

“Did I not tell you I would be with you in a minute? GOD” she yelled through the intercom.

Eventually I pulled around to pay and she rolled her eyes at me and shoved my wrap in my hands. There were no stopping the tears at this point. I pulled to the side and just held my little chicken wrap and cried.

“You need to stop eating if you plan on getting a husband”, “I bet you’ve never had a real job before”, “You have a different boyfriend in every city right?”, “You’re not doing you’re job properly and are going to kill us all”………………………

They say words can’t break your bones but I think they left out the part about it breaking your heart at 1am in the Wendy’s parking lot. I’m only 24 years old but what I do know is that you… yes YOU have an unprecedented power to affect someone’s day. Heck with just a few words, you can affect someone’s week/year/life with your words.

I don’t smile every single day, and when people yell at me on airplanes I can’t guarantee that I’m thinking any thoughts other than how I could legally throw them out of the window… You never really know a persons story or what they may be dealing with. I may portray my life as always exciting and wonderful on social media but just like everyone I work with people who make me question humanity!

So for days like the ones I’ve had lately I recommend chai tea, Christmas music (judge me if you must), long conversations with close friends and a nap or two! At the end of the day you are in charge of your next move so why not make it a purposeful one in the direction of happiness and love.

XOXO,

Christena