Becoming friends with an older woman at the airport showed me that unplanned conversations can create meaningful relationships.
Molly Selin
When I was coming back home to New York after my first international work trip to Spain, I was exhausted, overstimulated, and ready to be back in the comfort of my own home.Boarding the AirTrain at John F. Kennedy International Airport, I had my AirPods in both ears and was doing what most 27-year-olds do at the airport: keeping my head down and staying in my own little world.Then, out of nowhere, an 81-year-old woman — who I later found out is named Maria — started talking to me.She asked me about my travels, and I answered politely before returning my attention to my phone. But she kept talking — and thank goodness she did.There was something about her excitement that caught my attention immediately. Within a matter of seconds, I was intrigued by her genuine spirit and kind personality, so I did something I never do at the airport — I took my AirPods out, put them in my case, and kept chatting with this stranger.For the remainder of the train ride home, we talked about life, family, travel, and everything in between. By the time we reached our final stop, we had exchanged phone numbers, and somehow both said we loved the other.The next day, Maria left me a voicemail inviting me to dinner.
