People watching at the airport sure hasn't been the same since 9/11.  Only ticket holders are allowed past security. All the joyous reunions and tearful goodbyes I used to enjoy watching at the gate all vanished in a single, fateful day.

I remember years ago, waiting at the gate with about a dozen couples eagerly awaiting their babies from China. There were balloons, television crews, and loads of excited family members. I became so eager to see those babies that I worked myself right into the midst of the happy throng.

I wept with joy as I watched those long awaited, precious babies placed in the arms of their new parents.  I bet those people watching their local news that night wondered how the overly emotional flight attendant came to be part of the welcoming party.

I've always had a staring problem. Always. The problem is, I get so involved in drinking in all the details that I lose awareness of how rude I'm being. I remember being in middle school (hands down, the most tortuous years of my life) and waiting to be picked up from school. A couple of kids came out and started making out. They didn't appear to notice me and, you would have thought, by the way I stood intently ogling all the kissing and groping, that they had come out to perform just for me.

I was startled when the performance suddenly stopped and the "starlet" strode menacingly towards me. She stopped inches from my face and suggested I "take a picture, it will last longer." I was mortified. To this day, I can picture her homely face. I'm not being mean, it really was homely, it was part of the reason I had been so mesmerized.  I was finding it encouraging that this girl, the furthest thing from a Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, was invoking such passion and "love" from a decent looking kid (a veritable Prince Charming compared to her).

Tammy will ask me if I know a certain flight attendant, and I'll ask something like, "does she have beautiful skin and kind of manly hands?" Those are the kind of details I observe and remember. Scary. As people board I struggle not to look them up and down, taking in all the tattoo's, body piercings, and clothing (or lack thereof). Instead, I make the supreme effort to look people in the eye and smile.

The things I see while I'm people watching can change the trajectory of my day. When I see people helping each other out, or being selflessly accommodating, I am encouraged. When I witness rudeness and impatience, especially among family members, I am discouraged.

We live in an increasingly watching world and, as always, actions speak louder than words. I thank God that He gave us a universal tool to communicate good will: a smile. A smile transcends all language barriers. I can't tell you how many times I've been encouraged, especially when I'm with Brett, by someone simply looking me in the eye and smiling. It's not a pitying smile, it's an "it's alright, I know you're doing the best you can" kind of smile.

Never underestimate the power of a genuine smile!