Why women can save the world

Today's crumb is a reprint of a Facebook post a few weeks ago from Beth Dunnington. She writes: "Something extraordinary happened at LAX today...(writing this on the plane). I was at the gate, waiting to get my plane to Portland. Flights to two different cities were boarding on either side of the Portland flight. A toddler about 18 months old was having a total meltdown, running between the seats, kicking and screaming, then lying on the ground refusing to board the plane (which was not going to Portland). His young mom, clearly pregnant and traveling alone with her son, became overwhelmed. She couldn't pick him up because he ran away from her, so she finally sat down on the floor, put her head in her hands, and started crying. Then this gorgeous thing happened. The women in the terminal (about six or seven of us) not women who knew each other, approached and surrounded her and her little boy and knelt down and formed a circle around them. I sang, "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" to the little boy...another woman had an orange which she peeled...another woman had a little toy in her bag that she let the toddler play with...another woman gave the mom a bottle of water. Someone else helped the mom get the kid's sippy cup out of her bag and give it to him. There was no discussion and no one knew anyone else, but we were able to calm them both down and she got her child on the plane. Only women approached her. After they went through the door, we all went back to our separate seats and didn't talk about it. We were strangers, gathering to solve a problem. It occurred to me that a circle of women with a mission can save the world. I will never forget that moment.