Be the Influencer

It was another Monday at the airport.

The parking lot was packed and the line for the shuttle bus was long.

I squeezed in just as the doors began to close.

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There was no place to sit down, so I stood near the driver next to the handrail.

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If you’ve ever been on an airport shuttle, you know there is often more turbulence on the ride to the terminal than there is in the air.

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It was a typical shuttle bus crowd.

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Grumpy business travelers.

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First-time flyers frantically trying to get it together.

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Vacationers.

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We departed the bus stop and promptly hit our first speed bump.

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Our bus apparently had no shock absorbers.

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The bus listed from side to side like a ship in a storm.

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The guy next to me was trying to manage his cup of coffee without spilling it on his shoes.

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I was more concerned about my shoes.

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As the driver righted our ship, I heard a giggle from the back of the bus.

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I leaned into the aisle and on the very last seat was a young family.

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A mom, dad, and a little girl with blonde pigtails.

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I lost my balance as we hit another speed bump.

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The little girl threw her hands in the air and shouted, “WEE!”

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Captain Coffee scowled.

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The lady across from me looked at the parents with judgment in her eyes.

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Mom quickly told her little darling to be quiet.

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The little girl folded her hands and placed them on top of her pink suitcase next to the luggage tag shaped like mouse ears.?

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We hit the next speed bump and as those blonde pigtails swung from side to side as she raised her hands and shouted, “WEE!”

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Mom shushed the little girl again.

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But this time, the sweet little lady sitting next to the girl leaned over and said, “I bet I know where you’re going.”

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The little girl looked up and said, “I am going to see Mickey Mouse!”

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Mom smiled.

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About that time, we hit the next speed bump and the lady grabbed the little girl’s hand and raised it in the air and shouted “WEE!”

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The entire bus erupted with laughter.

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Even Captain Coffee couldn’t help but chuckle.

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One more speed bump before the terminal.

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We all knew it was coming.

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The lady leaned over and whispered to the little girl, “Are you ready?”

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“Yup!” the little girl said with a smile.

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The lady grinned and said, “Here we go!”

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We hit the final speed bump, and everyone put their hands in the air and shouted “WEE!”

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Even the bus driver.

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The little girl looked up at her mom and said “See, I don’t need to shush.”

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It was pure magic.

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I think about that little girl sometimes.

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Especially when I’m stressed and tired.

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When my humanness sneaks up on me and I want to be grumpy.

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What I know is that influence is always a choice.

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We can be influenced by our surroundings and conform to the negativity around us.

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Or we can be the influencer.

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We can be joyful and happy.

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We can transform the environment we’re in.

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It seems the whole world wants us to shush.

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To hide our light.

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I think we should be more like our little pigtailed friend.

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Be the change.

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Be positive.

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Be happy.

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And just maybe, you can make the ride for others a little more worthwhile.

Kevin D. Brown?is a branding and culture expert. He’s an award-winning motivational storyteller, bestselling author, and the creator of?The Hero Effect?.?Follow him on?LinkedIn,?Instagram,?Facebook, and?X/Twitter