In an era where most of us are glued to our screens, avoiding small talk with strangers, I witnessed something truly heartwarming on a four-hour flight.
An older woman struck up a conversation with a teenager sitting next to her. At first, I found it a little annoying—just another case of someone oversharing with an uninterested stranger. The teen had her headphones in, clearly not looking for conversation.
But then, to my surprise, the girl took off her headphones—and for the next three hours, she gave the older woman her full attention.
They talked, they laughed, they shared stories. It wasn’t just small talk—it was genuine connection.
When we landed, curiosity got the best of me. I approached the teenager and asked, “Why did you spend the whole flight talking to her?”
Her answer was simple but profound:
“She looked like she needed someone to talk to.”
