My philosophy has always been that everyone has a story; you just have to take the time to listen.  That type of philosophy was proven to me on a flight from Dallas to Baltimore.  I was returning from such a joyous occasion, the birth of my first grandchild.  I was very sad to be leaving, but so happy nonetheless.  This flight was not a direct one; we had to land in Little Rock then on to Baltimore.  I hate to fly and was stressing about that and the fact the flight was long with our additional stop.

There was a lady sitting by the window, I was sitting in the aisle.  She was very quiet through the whole flight.  When they announced the landing in Little Rock, I asked if she was getting off, since I had to move to let her out.  She said “Yes” she was.  She asked me if I had ever been to Little Rock.  I told her “No”.  She told me that it was lovely and I would like it.  She said the people were very nice.  She was going there to bury her son.  I still start to cry when I think about this conversation.  Her son, who was young, died of a heart attack leaving 3 children and a wife.  She was very soft spoken and sweet and my heart was breaking for her.  Here I was sitting there so happy to have a new grandchild.  Life was good and she was burying her son.  How is this fair?  As I looked around the plane I realized everyone on it had a story.  They were going somewhere for some reason.  Maybe happy, maybe sad. 

I started out the day thinking, what a long flight with an annoying stop in Little Rock and this lovely lady was going to Little Rock to bury her son.

It totally made me re-think …I don’t want to get all Oprah on you, but really people….We need to stop and show compassion for others wherever we are.   You never know what kind of story they are carrying along with their luggage.