The Day the World Came to Town

Every once in a while, a book surprises you and lifts you up in ways you don't expect.

You may know this story from the musical Come From Away, still on my list to see. It's the story of a tiny town in Newfoundland that played host to the crew and passengers from more than three dozen planes diverted there immediately after 9/11. The residents of the region came together to make sure passengers were fed, had a place to sleep and shower, for several days before their planes could take off again. The advertisements for the musical are what sent me looking for the book it's based on, The Day the World Came to Town, which I borrowed through the Libby app. Wow, did it deliver.

As a Project Manager, it was fascinating. How could a small town find enough places for people to sleep? Every church and club took in as many people as their facility could support. How would everyone dry off after a shower? Every household in town dropped off whatever towels they could spare. What about the animals traveling in the cargo holds of some of the planes — including two monkeys? A few thoughtful local veterinary staff tracked them all down, brought them to a hangar to care for them, and made sure every one got back on the correct plane before departure.

As a human being, it was deeply encouraging. When a local leader learned there were several Orthodox Jews on a flight who'd had to skip meals, he called in someone else of Jewish descent to make sure they had food and a kitchen they could use. Language barriers between passengers and townspeople were common, and they were overcome with gestures and charades. Throughout it all, the townspeople insisted this was just "what they do" — they didn't feel they'd done anything extraordinary. And yet nearly 25 years later, I can assure you something extraordinary happened in Gander, Newfoundland. It only happened out of tragedy and unthinkable circumstances.

Here's what I took away from this book, and why I've devoted today's post to it: we all have opportunities to do small but extraordinary things every day. They seem small or insignificant to us — they don't cost much money, and they don't ask for a big sacrifice — but to the person on the receiving end, they can be life-changing.

In our world, that might look like a lender who takes five extra minutes with a nervous small-business owner walking through their first loan application, or a manager who encourages an employee to take care of themselves during a stressful time.  None of that makes headlines. All of it can change how someone remembers working with your institution.

Two next steps I encourage you to consider:

1.     Read The Day the World Came to Town by Jare Gordon.

2.     Find a way to do something insignificant but kind. Today. And every day.