For a moment, neither of us said anything.
Then they shared something about their own experience of being far from home.
It was not a story that transformed them into a different person in my eyes. Instead, it helped me understand why they might have been especially aware of another traveler's discomfort.
Sometimes, people recognize a difficulty because they have experienced something similar themselves. They remember what it felt like to be tired, uncertain, or dependent on the kindness of others.
They may not know the whole story of the person in front of them. They may not even know that person's name. But they recognize a familiar human need.
As I listened, I began to understand that the food was not simply something the stranger had offered because I looked hungry. It was also an invitation to share a little of the evening, to acknowledge that neither of us had to pretend the situation was easy.
