Where else do you see so many people from so many different places, different cultures, different walks of life? There we all are together, yet everyone is doing his or her own thing - some are hustling and hurrying, others are sitting and waiting. Most are not talking.
I find it fascinating to sit and watch everyone, and I always find myself wondering about different individuals. Where are they from? What is their destination? What is their story?
Really, everyone has a story.
But as much as people fascinate me, as much as I would love to know each person's story, I really tend to be an introvert. I love to sit and watch and wonder, but I'm not very comfortable talking to people I don't know. I prefer some personal space - I try to choose a seat that will allow me to not have to sit right next to somebody else. If someone engages me in conversation, of course I will reply, but I rarely initiate conversation with strangers.
So I sit, alone in my own little bubble, quietly observing all the other people who are also alone in their own little bubbles.
On my recent trip to and from Utah to attend my Grandma's funeral, I found myself traveling through airports without children for the first time in over six years. Traveling without children is a completely different experience from traveling with children, especially in airports! It was actually very enjoyable for me. I had plenty of time to sit quietly, observe, and think.
When I arrived at the gate for my return flight, another flight was just about to board, and most of the seats were taken. So I ended up sitting right next to an older woman. The other flight soon boarded, leaving most of the seats empty, but there we were, sitting right next to each other, with empty seats all around us. I will confess that it was uncomfortable for me. With so many empty seats all around, I felt an urge to get up and move to another seat with some more "personal space." But I didn't want to be rude, so I stayed put. It wasn't long before she got up and said she was going to go use the bathroom. I figured she was feeling the same way that I was and was just using the bathroom as an excuse to get up and leave, then come back and sit in a different seat.
To my surprise, she returned a few minutes later and sat right down in the same seat, right next to me, despite all of the other empty seats around.
And then something even more surprising happened:
I started a conversation with her.
I'm not sure exactly what happened that caused me to do it. I guess you could say I felt "prompted." I've been trying to act on those promptings when they come to me, and I've been trying to reach out and connect more with others. Plus, I figured that since I'm about to move to a new place I need lots of practice starting conversations with strangers.
So I pushed my introvert tendencies aside and started a conversation with a complete stranger.
That was all I had to do: start the conversation. She took it from there. From that moment on, I said very little. She talked and talked and talked, for nearly an hour.
I'll be honest: I had been looking forward to this last bit of quiet time without kids, my last moments of peace before I returned home to an absolutely crazy mess of packing, cleaning, moving, etc. I had a book to read, I had letters to write, I had a zillion thoughts in my head that I wanted to organize into my never-ending notebook of lists. I had been looking forward to this last bit of "me" time.
But I listened.
Not only did I listen, but I listened with an open heart. Rather than feeling irritated that she was still talking, rather than thinking about all the other things I could be doing, I really listened.
I truly cannot believe how much of this woman's life I learned about in 45 minutes.
I learned all about her 99 year-old grandmother and the beautiful relationship that they share, the adventures they have gone on together, their deep love for each other. Now her grandmother is in a nursing home and she is heartbroken.
I learned about her Native American descent and her Catholic faith. I heard several accounts of how she had asked the Lord for help during difficult times in her life, and the help always came.
I learned about how she worked for the state helping sexually abused children, and how that changed her perspective on everything.
I learned about how she had three children and had lost one of them, and how she took in 4 nephews and 1 niece because their parents were drug addicts. She raised them from the time they were very small, along with her own children.
I heard very detailed descriptions of grand family reunions.
I learned about what her children and nephews and niece are all doing now, how most of them have gone on to be very successful, but one of them is entitled and lazy.
It was fascinating. She had such a beautiful story to tell. I felt connected to her. I felt inspired by her.
She learned a little bit about me as well. I was surprised, and touched, when she told me that she had read my Grandma's obituary in the newspaper. I told her of our plans to move to Texas. She gave me lots of counsel about children: warned me not to let them have sleepovers and told me to be sure I always know who their friends are. She told me to always turn to the Lord.
This woman was old enough to be my mother. She was a different race, a different religion. Our lives were so very different, but we also had so much in common.
By the end of our hour together, I realized I was already starting to love this woman. And I didn't even know her name.
When it was time to board the plane she thanked me for listening and I thanked her for sharing. I told her that it had been a pleasure to hear her story, and I meant it. I told her she really needed to write it all down, and I meant that, too. She wished me well on my move and told me to pray a lot.
We said goodbye.
I am sure I will never see her again. I still don't know her name. But because I made the choice to reach out rather than withdraw, to open my heart rather than put up a wall, I made a new friend, gained some new insights, and was uplifted and inspired.
My heart was changed.
Maybe the next time I'm in an airport I'll choose a seat right next to someone and strike up a conversation.
Stranger things have happened...
