KINDNESSISCONTAGIOUS 　　My9-year-olddaughterandIwereflyingfromourhomeinCharlotte,North 　　Carolina,tospendaweekwithmyhusbandinMiami,Florida.Mikehadbeen 　　inFloridaforfivemonthsworkingforanInternetstart-upcompany.We 　　wereexcitedaboutthetripbecausewehadseenhimonlyfivetimesinfive 　　months,andKalliemissedherdadterribly. 　　AsusualontheCharlotte-to-Miamiflight,theplanewastotallyfull.I 　　hadnoticedatroopofBoyScoutsatthegateandcommentedtomydaughter 　　thatifanythinghappened,wewouldbeOKwithallthoseScoutsonour 　　flight!LittledidIknow. 　　Becausewedidnotgetourboardingpassesuntilwearrivedatthegate, 　　KallieandIcouldnotgetseatstogetherandwereseparatedbytheaisle. 　　Thatwasn'tsuchabigdeal,exceptthatKalliewasnervousaboutthetrip 　　andhadcountedonmyreadingtoherthewholeway.Tryingtoreadacross 　　theaislewouldbeachallenge. 　　Whenthetwopassengerswhosharedmyrowboardedtheplane,Iaskedif 　　theywouldswitchplaceswithKallieandme,sothatwecouldbetogether 　　andsothatshecouldsitnexttothewindow.Theyrefused,sayingthey 　　thoughttheyshouldstayintheirassignedseats.Meanwhile,amotherand 　　herthreechildrenwereinapanicseveralrowsaheadofus.Therehadbeen 　　amistakeintheirboardingpasses,thewholefamilyhadbeensplitup. 　　Thepassengersinherrowalsorefusedtomoveelsewhere.Themothercould 　　holdherbaby,buther6-year-oldsonandhisolderbrotherhadbeen 　　scatteredaroundtheplane.Shewasveryconcernedabouttheyoungerboy 　　sittingwithstrangers.Shewasintears,yetnobodyofferedtohelpher. 　　SuddenlytheScoutleaderstoodupandsaid,“Ma'am,Ithinkwecanhelp 　　you.”Hethenspentfiveminutesrearranginghisgroupsothatadequate 　　spacewasavailableforthefamily.Theboysfollowedhisdirections 　　cheerfullyandwithoutcomplaint,andthemother'sreliefwasobvious. 　　Kallie,however,wasbeginningtopanicatthethoughtofnotbeingnext 　　toawindoworhermother.Itoldherthattherewasn'tanythingIcould 　　do;wewouldhavetositwherewewere.Amazingly,themansittingnextto 　　theScoutmaster(notaScouthimself),turnedaroundtomeandasked, 　　“Wouldyouandyourdaughterlikeourseats?”referringtohimselfandthe 　　Scoutmaster.Hesaidhewascrampedinthewindowseatandwouldreally 　　prefertheaisle.Wetradedseatsandcontinuedourtrip,verymuch 　　relievedtobetogetherandwatchthesceneryfromKallie'swindowseat. 　　WouldthatmanhaveofferedushisseatiftheScoutshadn'tdonesofor 　　themomandherchildren?Idon'tknow.ButIdoknowthatkindnessis 　　contagious,andgooddeedsbegetgooddeeds!