A Nice Surprise

About a week ago, the custodian at my school told me he was going to Branson, Missouri with his mother. He didn't seem too excited but he was taking his mother to visit someone and have a little vacation. To give you a picture of him, he's about 10 years older than my dad so his mother is fairly old and doesn't get out much. I excitedly told him about the Titanic museum that is there. I have never been there before, but would love to go. He is a very nice man and of course said, "Yeah, that sounds interesting." I realized he probably wouldn't go but also wouldn't shoot my idea down because of my enthusiasm about it.
If you have read this blog then you know by now that I am sort of an oddball with many strange fascinations (ex. glass bottles, ceramic rhinos, cameos, etc.). Believe me, there are plenty more of those, one being my love for the Titanic. Many people have thought this love came about from the 1997 American romantic James Cameron film starring a hunky Tiger Beat (they still make that magazine) heartthrob. But no, my interest in the Titanic came about a year or two earlier in my 7th grade Social Science class. My teacher was out for the day and showed a film on the Titanic about its history and the artifacts found in the wreckage. She probably never would have guessed the impact it would have on me. Something about such a huge, beautiful ship and such a tragic story had me intrigued. Now, Cory thinks I'm a sicko for reading up on tragedies. Reading about shootings and fires interests me, but not in a "I'm glad that happened way" but in a concerned and very empathetic way. I try to put myself in their position and think of the fear they must have felt....How would I have reacted? What would go through my head?...and so on. I have many times felt physically sick reading about such sadness. Sorry, I'm rambling...I told my custodian about how the Titanic interested me and that one day I would like to visit the museum. It has rooms that are actual replicas of rooms on the ship. It also has activities to make you feel like you were there, like 28 degrees water, a cool breeze, and even a deck you can stand on that tilts up as much as the ship did before it sank. I could go on! I have been asking Cory to go for a while now, but there's never a great time to go nor does money grow on trees. I will go someday though. :)
Well, this morning as I came into my room and on my desk sat a "collector's guide" Titanic book, along with two "boarding passes" (the tickets museum guests receive to go on board...there's a fun story with them). The custodian had gotten them at the museum and brought them back for me. It truly made my day! I quickly found him in the hall and thanked him over and over. He shared his experience with me and gave such nice details. He made me feel like I had been there. It seemed like he soaked in the info to report back to me. It was really a great start to a Monday. A rainy Monday, at that.
I guess I'm posting this to encourage people to do something kind for someone else today. Just listening and taking interest in someone else can really make their day. Maybe write a note to a coworker, call a friend or family member you haven't talked to in while, or maybe even make a yummy treat for someone who has shown you kindness....and with that, I'm going to go and make some yummies to show my gratitude.
I hope you have a dandy day :)

If you would like to see what all the Titanic museum holds, then check out the website http://www.titanicbranson.com/. If you would like to take me with you, then call ;) jk