I was 12 and flew to Louisville, Ky. from Tucson, Az. Two things I remember:
1. My parents stayed with me and introduced me to the flight attendant that was responsible for me and she took me to my lay-over in St. Louis to hand me over to the flight attendant that was responsible for my final trip to Louisville.
2. I never felt I was a piece of luggage or a problem to the attendants. They treated me as if I was a part of their family. I was given attention, and allowed some freedoms all the while under their watchful eye. It gave me a sense of individuality and empowerment.
I believe that as a society, we have lost the compassion for certain individuals that once was common and unspoken. I am a burly looking man, close to 'biker' type. I do not appear to be what would be socially accepted as an appropriate caretaker. Yet on a few occasions, I have had to aide a child who was 'lost'. Once in a mall, where a young boy was crying because he couldn't find his mom. I was probably as scared as he was. I really didn't know what to do. I asked him where he last saw his mom, and he pointed to a storefront. I started to walk him to the store, and before we got two steps, his mother came out frantic. The whole thing took less than a minute. I still recall the look on his moms face when she saw me. I was suspect. Turns out, she had told them they were going to get a cookie at the baker next door after she shopped, and he had run off to pick what cookie he wanted. But her attitude was one of contempt and accusation. Even after we spoke. Understandable.
The second was in Walmart. (Imagine that). Again a young child around 6 or so, a girl, crying and couldn't find mom. This time, though years from the first incident, I was better prepared. I told her I was going to stay right where we were until her mom came to us, and that I was sure her mom was looking for her too. I raised my arm up and shouted out loudly, "Hey! Anyone missing their little girl?" I continued shouting with my arm high in the air and the other hand holding the young girls. Sure enough, it took about 20 seconds for mom to respond. Again, an accusatory look as she came to get her daughter. This time, my wife and two young daughters were with me, so the lady was soon at ease.
This makes me wonder why we as a society have become so individualized. I don't believe that people back then cared any less for their children, but had better faith in others about the common morals and acceptable practices at the time. While I wish that I could feel a trust of my fellow human being, I have been jaded by the media and personal experience. But I can only promise that I will uphold the values I have learned from those experiences should I be again in a circumstance that requires me to aide my fellow human(s) and also understand that I may be judged by a standard that is not indicative to my moral being, I will still act as appropriately as I would want another to act if the tables were turned.