34. Who do we do it for?

Would you put your seat belt on for me?

Another question I was asked in the air. At least it wasn’t “snacks for purchase?”  And I said yes. Not to the snacks. Why would I say yes to someone asking me to put a seat belt on for her? A nice woman I’m sure (or I hope she is), but I didn’t even know her name and there I am putting on a seat belt, not for my own safety, but for the comfort of a complete stranger.

Now I understand that it was a spoon full of sugar to help the medicine of “put your seatbelt on you who were obviously not listening when I made the announcement the first time miss aisle in row 22 who came to the back after you were asked about the snacks, but bought one when there was only a little over an hour to go on a 6 1/2 hr flight,” so yes, I can see why she worded it that way, but surely there must be some other way to ask me to put on my seatbelt than doing it for her. Or maybe I can chalk it up to Seva, selfless service.

It wasn’t selfless service. I was just being the good girl and following orders. I did not fear for my safety, and had truly forgotten my seat belt was off. What did I want to hear? I don’t know. But it gave me pause.

When did this start? When we were in our high chairs and mommy would ask us to try the strained peas “do it for mommy please.”  And at some level, our decisions are based on that. So it’s up to us to recognize that words are powerful, and make deep impressions, but they are also meaningless.  It wasn’t about the peas pleasing my mommy, it was probably just getting me fed so she could get on with the rest of her day. And the flight attendant was just doing her job.

And blogging about it was my job.

So, if you are reading this to please me, well you are. But unless you are first and foremost pleasing yourself, please stop. For me?