random train encounter: m

tbh, i’m not totally sure why i’m writing about this, but here goes anyways.

yesterday morning on the train, i met a woman; i’ll call her m to not put her business on blast too easily.

there were two empty seats next to me and i had my bag on one. i took it off when she walked over, but she just laughed and said it was fine because she was just going to do the same thing.

she put her bag on the seat and asked me what i was reading. i told her i was reading [focus] because i was having trouble focusing. given everything that is happening politically, it felt important to know how to do it better for myself and to help other people. she said that was good, but that i should also pray because prayer and asking God for help focusing would be good, too.

i started to worry that it was going to become a conversation conversation, but God it didn’t (lol). somehow she got into telling me about herself, her children, and grandchildren. m is 42 and has a daughter (25) and two sons (15 and 6). her 25 year old has two boys (8 and 4).

she told me her youngest boy has her heart and way of being in the world. he oldest boy loves sports and plays football but the young one loves art and even has some art up for sale online already (kidskreations)! it’s a hand painting about his friends and love (wish i had gotten a link to it). each hand is a different color and they are the hands of his friends. the word “love” is written in the middle of the page on top of all the handprints. he made it “because mommy told me that love is for everyone and it doesn’t matter where they’re from.” m told me his friends are black, french, white, and he’s spanish.”

as we pulled into downtown crossing i got up to get off. m and i told each other to have a good day and she told me to hang in there.

having such a positive, random encounter with someone on the train was such a nice start to my day. it’d be cool if things like that happened more often. maybe i should do something about that… maybe something on that “boston t party” idea annemarie and i had a while ago…