So it’s happened twice where I’ve been bumped from coach to 1st class when flying simply by doing something nice.

The first time it happened was around 2 years ago. I saw that a family wasn’t sitting together so I offered to move my seat so they could. The woman said; “That’s very nice of you but you’d be giving up a window seat for a middle seat.” I told her I didn’t mind at all, picked up my things and switched seats to the middle seat in another row. Now, sitting in the middle, a woman on my left starts talking to her husband who just walked back from 1st class to talk to her before heading back to his seat. He was on a business trip and his boss bought him a first class ticket. While that was great, he wanted his wife to join him but the only seat left for her was in coach so they weren’t sitting together.

Wanting to be with his wife he looks at me and said: “Would you mind switching seats with me? I’m in first class but I really want to sit with my wife.”

Um, of course!

If I didn’t take that middle seat so that family could sit together, the husband from 1st class would have asked the person originally sitting in that middle seat which wouldn’t have been me.

So that was then and it just happened again. I was very early for my return flight hime from South Carolina and was able to get on standby on an earlier flight. When I was walking towards the plane, I noticed a woman struggling with a huge bag. It was the biggest backpack I’d ever seen. I offered to help her with it and as we were walking, she shared with me that it has so much in it, including lots of medications because she has stage 4 cancer. I told her a few very inspiring stories of dear friends thriving after having stage 4 cancer in the past. She seemed happy that I shared the stories and that I gave her a hand.

On stand by I had no idea where I’d be sitting-I was just grateful to get on that earlier flight and as I looked at my boarding pass for my seat assignment, to my surprise it was in first class. First class karma…again!

So while that was a nice surprise (that probably wouldn’t have happened had I not helped that woman), it doesn’t stop there.

The woman I helped was sitting diagonally in front of me. When the flight attendant came by to get our drink orders I heard her ask for a sugary soda that rhymes with “smoke”. Ugh.

Here’s what raced through my head. “No! Omg, sugar is rocket fuel for cancer growth and the sugar load in that one drink alone is huge! Debi, it’s none of your business, butt out and get some work done.”

What would you do?

Well, I couldn’t help myself figuring the worst thing that happens is she tells me to butt out and leave her alone. With that, I leaned forward and said: “It’s absolutely none of my business but I heard what you ordered. I don’t know if you know this and please forgive me if you do, but sugar is fuel for cancer. Of course there are many contributing factors but that’s one of them.”

She looked at me at said: “Wow, I didn’t know that, I had no idea. Thanks for telling me.”

I felt relieved, happy and filled with the thought that I may have somehow helped to turn around her diet and who knows, in my wildest dreams, possibly her cancer.

The drinks arrived and the flight attendant handed her the drink.

I know I shouldn’t have looked, shouldn’t have noticed or shouldn’t have cared…but I couldn’t help myself.

Would she drink it? Send it back? Ask for a water instead?

I took out some work to do because I didn’t want to see what her decision would be, I didn’t want to judge and I thought it would be best if I didn’t notice at all.

I couldn’t help it. I found myself staring. I watched her hand holding that glass and not letting it go for a few solid minutes.

Relieved! I felt so good knowing that I may have been instrumental in this one tiny circumstance.

Just then, she lifts the glass to her lips…and drinks the entire glass of soda.

I was sad, upset, I acted like I didn’t see it.

How would you feel?

So, dear lady on the plane who may just read this post because I gave her my card so she could read all about sugar on previous blog posts; I say this to you.

I hope that was the last sugar loaded beverage you ever drink. I wish you health, healing and love and I want you to know that even though we only met for a brief period of time, I care and I’m sure others do too.

Have you ever given your 2 cents because you knew something that may help someone? What do you do and how do you feel when they don’t take your advice?

Trying to remind myself to stay “committed but not attached” as I keep doing what I feel is right without being concerned about the outcome.

Funny, the younger me would have thought I was meddling and not spoken up to spare being rejected.

The older me would rather meddle in someone’s life and risk being rejected to possibly create a better and healthier outcome.

What would you do? I’d love to know, comment and share!

Debi Silber

www.DebiSilber.com