Amy M. Mayers’ Post

I've just finished training to volunteer with Travelers Aid at National (Reagan National to out-of-towners) Airport. I'd seen that they needed volunteers and thought what the hell? I've never done anything like it. All I can say is, it's a blast and absolutely fascinating. You never know who you'll meet or what you'll encounter. (The volunteer I was with on Saturday once had someone come up and ask if she knew any exorcists in DC. She went online and found 3!) (It was for his mother.) I think of what we're doing as hanging out in spaces other people just pass through without thinking about. The airport is a liminal space to start with, and disconcerting. Many, many people have no idea what to expect and are completely unprepared for the experience. (Tip #1: Charge your phone before you leave home!!!!) We do a lot of problem solving, and sometimes have to play detective to get to the root of someone's real need. Some people present problems that leave me wondering, HOW did you get in this predicament??? Other times, we can change someone's day just by giving them one small bit of mundane information. Or, when someone needs directions, escorting him/her instead of just directing. Friends have asked me if I get paid for my volunteering (kind of a contradiction, no?). Yes! I have hundreds of people and their stories pass before my eyes every shift. I have license to greet people, see if they need help and make them feel a little less anonymous. I have the pleasure of meeting, even if only for a moment, people I might never have the chance to encounter in my daily life. And, in this ugly time of division, lies and venom, I can interact compassionately, human-to-human, with people I don't know and probably will never see again. I believe every bit of kindness you put out into the world counts. How lucky am I to have this chance?