Strangers on a plane

Last night I did something I'd never done before. I met a person I'd become acquainted with through the blog. He's from England, lives in France, and stopped in New York on his way to Haiti. We had a couple of drinks at a hotel bar, shared a few stories and insights, and at one point he said something like, "I was just thinking how amazing it is that I'm sitting here talking to you." And it was, it is. It's amazing how we can connect with people from around the world in such a personal and effortless way. It was interesting to see how comfortable I was sharing a drink with a stranger who felt more like a friend. He also said to me that I was just as he imagined I'd be, which even though I didn't ask how he imagined I'd be, I took as a great compliment.

But next time let it be me who is getting off the plane somewhere, let me be the one lugging the heavy bag with my iPod dangling from my pocket. In an airport in London or Paris, Morocco or Mongolia, let me be the familiar stranger on a flight to everywhere, stopping by to say hello to everyone.