Don't sleep on random conversation

My day started early yesterday. Crazy early. My 3 am alarm gave me just enough time to shower before heading to airport for my 5:20 am flight. Needless to say, as my flight touched down in DC at 6:30 am and I got in an Uber, I was in no mood to talk. I was starting to pull my phone out to check Facebook and god knows what else while I tried to fall asleep when my Uber driver started chatting with me. Next thing you know, we end up talking the whole hour-long drive to my meeting. It was so cool – this guy was from Mississippi, worked in a steel mill for several years before a debilitating back injury put him on disability, had gone through a divorce but was now engaged, moved to Maryland (just outside DC) two years ago with his fiancee for her work, and was adjusting to the setting.

But more than just the facts of his life, it was the stories and personality that made the conversation so interesting. Talking about Mississippi summers, the legacy of racism in the deep south, his friendship with Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, and so much more. In his wedding, his best man had been black and a couple of his planned groomsmen decided not to come as a result. His first time in DC where he had never seen traffic lights on the side of the street before and ran four red lights, receiving $1,000 worth of tickets that he eventually convinced a judge to get rid of. He was a Mason that had really strong morals and an openness to new people and experiences.

Fast forward to later in the day. I’m on yet another flight to Chicago, exhausted after my early start. I get in a middle seat ready to pass out. The plane takes off and immediately the woman in the window seat wakes me up to use the restroom. Annoyed, I get up and let her out and then have to get up a couple minutes later when she returns. She apologizes for the inconvenience and, just as I’m putting my headphones back on, she asks me why I’m flying to Chicago. Next thing you know, I talk to this lady for the entire two hour flight. We talk about end of life care, raising children, closeness to grandparents, marriage, scuba diving, south India, and so much more. This white woman from Canada living in South Bend, Indiana and I talked about everything under the sun. I unintentionally started crying when my grandmother came up and she had to comfort me on the plane.

I’m not sure exactly what my point is. But both of these conversations are ones that made me a more understanding, better person. And for these two conversations I did have, there are thousands that I didn’t, because I kept my headphones on, because I was staring at my phone, because I didn’t have the patience, because I’m an introvert, because a million reasons…

This was just a reminder to myself to try and be more open to the people around me. An exploration for truth isn’t just about words on a page or on a screen – it’s about conversations with people from all walks of life.