The Favor

Danny, a 22-year-old graduate student, received a huge block of frequent flyer miles from a relative.  In fact, it was enough miles to fly around the world.  Rather than hit all, the hot spot beaches, and clubs, Danny took quite a different approach to worldwide travel.  In appreciation for the gift of the miles, Danny chose to travel the world doing favors for people.  Really, that is what he chose to do with the gift of the miles.  He posted a note on a web site that he would be traveling the world and asked people how he could help.

At his last post, I counted 18 different places around the world where he had done some type of favor.  He did everything from moving a couch up a spiral staircase to helping a man with injuries in to a second floor apartment.  He had over 300 requests and did the best he could to accommodate them. 

That last and most humbling favor was for Oliver’s Mom.  Oliver has leukemia.  She barely has enough time to take care of Oliver.  She asked Danny for a simple request, “Can you wash my car?”  Yes, he did accommodate the request along with helping others and donating funds from generous people along the way, back to the cause.  Danny is contacting airlines about possible sponsorships to do something similar but on a bigger scale.

A kid in his 20’s makes a conscious decision to help people around the world, and we still have challenges with helping the person next door.  I am still not sure what to do with all of this information other than remind everyone that there is opportunity to change a life next door or 10,000 miles away.  The choice is ours.  Hey, may I ask a favor?