The Invisible Hero: A Lesson in Grace and Greatness

The woman clearing tables at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport while folks are waiting to get on the plane is pretty much invisible to the preoccupied travelers she cleans up after.

Yesterday, for the first time — I noticed her.

I looked around and saw a bunch of people who were anxious to charge their phone, eat and catch their flights.

The lounge attendant though.

She picked up paper from the ground, swept up crumbs from under the chairs, and picked up half-eaten plates of food and piled them on a trolley to take to the trash area.

People stopped her asked her where they can get a drink, or where the nearest bathroom was, but they never really SAW her.

I paid attention and watched her.

I noticed her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a guy who mattered to her.

She saw him.

He was a brother with his feet perched awkwardly on the table, balancing a MacBook on his knee.

The angle was terrible, but, well… he’s got a socket and WiFi.

She saw him, but he never SAW her.

A few minutes later, she appeared in front of him with a little stool to rest his feet on and helped him to turn his chair, so he’s not straining his back while he works.

He smiled passively and thanked her.

Her?

She smiled back, and immediately went back to her job.

Wiping off chairs.

Sweeping up crumbs.

Taking care of the extremely busy people who never, ever notice her.

But to her… it was her job, and she was great at it.

Whether she was noticed or not.

Sometimes, you may go unnoticed… but NEVER let that stop you from being great.

In your own way, you can make America great again.

Because your work matters.

You matter.

Keep on.

Keeping on.