I was sitting in the airport talking to my friend and noticed the lady beside me was looking at us. I looked back and then stopped talking and starting admiring all the details of her outfit. Louise Vuitton bag, some designer open toed booties with a freshly painted pedicure, pale blonde hair in a slicked back pony tail, and a diamond ring on her left finger. I wished I looked like her. I wish I had her life I thought. Then I asked myself why. I need to stop comparing myself to other people. She sat there sipping her Starbucks and probably judging me, but there is nothing I can do about it so I tried to stop thinking about it. As we stood in line waiting to board the plane, she was only one person ahead of me in line.

Anyways, the whole reason why the lady was probably staring at me was because I was talking louder than I probably should have been to my friend next to me. I had returned to my friend after shopping for a last minute souvenir; I was so excited to tell them what just happened to me. I had just had a twenty-minute conversation with the woman working behind one of the kiosk things at the airport, which I simply enjoyed and I think she did too. She was older, mid 60s or something; I could tell she was tired and seemed timid, but surprisingly very open and passionate. She told me about her career, her goals, her plans, and her future. She told me so much about herself in such a small amount of time. I wouldn’t normally talk to a stranger this long, or even have small talk with a stranger if I’m being honest, but something about this woman was different. The last thing I said to her, with a smile, was "I really hope I see you again one day." She waved me goodbye. Her name was Rose Mary.

My flight was long, California to North Carolina, with a layover in Texas. I had finished my book on the flight from California to Texas and needed to find a new one in one of the gift stores at my layover. I stood in the gift store staring at the few options I had to choose from. An older lady came beside and seemed to have the same problem I did. I asked if she had any suggestions and she asked if I had read The Girl on The Train; I hadn’t, but I really wanted to. The kind lady gave me her copy of it!! I was so happy I wanted to hug her. The book is great so far, by the way.

The moral of the story is: be kind to people. Treat others how you wanted to be treated. It will come back in your favor. All of this, I think to be true.