得知我的航班被延误了4个小时后，
我听到了公告：
如果4-A号门附近有人懂阿拉伯语，
请立即到大门口来。
嗯——现在人们都会停下来。4A号登机口是我的专属登机口。我走的是那里。
一位身着全套巴勒斯坦传统服饰的老妇人
就像我奶奶穿的那件衣服一样，她瘫倒在地，放声痛哭。
“帮帮她，”乘务员说，“跟她谈谈。她怎么了？”
有问题吗？我们告诉她航班会晚点四个小时，然后她
做了这件事。
我搂住她的肩膀，断断续续地跟她说话。
Shu dow-a、shubiduck habibti、stani stani schway、min fadlick、
肖比特·塞维？
她一听到任何她认识的词语——无论用得多么生硬——
她停止了哭泣。
她以为我们的航班完全取消了。
她需要去埃尔帕索接受一些重要的医疗治疗。
第二天。我说没事，没事，我们没事，你会到的，只是会晚点。
谁来接你？我们打电话告诉他吧。
我们给她儿子打了电话，我用英语和他交谈。
我告诉他，我会一直陪着他妈妈，直到我们登上飞机。
会和她一起乘坐西南航空的列车。
她跟他聊了聊。然后我们为了好玩，又给她其他儿子打了电话。
然后我们给我爸爸打了电话，他和她用阿拉伯语聊了一会儿。
当然，他们后来发现他们有十个共同的朋友。
然后我想，何不随便给一些巴勒斯坦人打个电话呢？
我邀请了一些我认识的诗人与她聊天。这总共花了大约两个小时。
那时她笑个不停，讲述着自己的生活，回答着……
问题。
她拿出了一袋自制的玛穆尔饼干——撒了少许粉末
她包里掏出一堆堆酥脆的糖霜小山，里面塞满了枣子和坚果——
他把这些东西卖给门口的所有妇女。
令我惊讶的是，竟然没有一个女人拒绝。这简直就像……
圣餐。来自阿根廷的旅行者，来自加利福尼亚的旅行者，
那位来自拉雷多的可爱女士——我们都被同样的症状所困扰。
撒上糖粉，露出笑容。没有比这更好的饼干了。
然后，航空公司从巨大的冷藏箱里拿出了免费饮料——
不含酒精的饮料——还有我们航班上的两个小女孩，其中一个是非洲裔。
一个美国人，还有一个墨西哥裔美国人——到处给我们倒苹果汁
还有柠檬水，而且上面还撒了糖粉。
我注意到我的新朋友——我们当时正手牵着手——
她的包里露出一盆植物，好像是某种药用植物。
绿毛茸茸的叶子。这是古老的乡村旅行传统。总是
随身携带一盆植物。永远不要与外界失去联系。
我环顾四周，看着那扇由疲惫不堪的人们组成的大门，心想：
这就是我想要生活的世界。一个共享的世界。
当混乱的哭喊声停止后，这扇门里空无一人。
—似乎对其他人都抱有戒心。
她们把饼干拿走了。我也想拥抱其他所有女性。
这种事在任何地方都可能发生。
并非一切都已失去。
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24 PAST RESPONSES
Thank You . Beautiful .
This story confirms that there's still good things happening in this world.
If we enjoy each other openly, one person at a time, how could we not love and live in peace and harmony.
Loved this story. Have just recently performed my first croning ceremony (and was initially cynical) but it was a wonderful celebration of the unity of all women. Now another indication that there need be no barriers: religion, age, culture or language, if we keep an open mind and heart
I went to Israel two years ago and had the opportunity to sit down and talk with a 65 year old Palestinian women for an hour. While in Jerusalem we stayed at a hotel in the Muslim district. I looked at all the women and felt so connected to their joys, sorrows, and experiences as women of different faiths. This trip also made me to live in a "shared world."
Outstanding! This is what my 4 yr old latino grandchild would say. He is learning English from watching the English funnies. God bless all of those people that passed the story on. Like you say, there are lots of wonderful people arround.
Thank you for this moving story of the true nature of people. I especially enjoyed the part about carrying a plant to stay rooted. My wife came to the US from Colombia carrying a plant.
I luv it
OMGGGG
thank you for sharing. True: There are NO Strangers in this world. Once we take a moment, however small & connect to another in whatever way we are able, we see the Human Being in front of us. Here's to kindness & helping each other. <3 and HUGS from my heart to all of yours.
I just got another little taste of utopia.
Daydreaming in Kyoto
https://www.smashwords.com/...
Awesome . Thank you for sharing . Kindness is a universal language .
Oh gosh, what a beautiful story! I can't wait to send it around to my family and friends. Thanks for making me smile and for putting tears in my eyes . :)
So beautiful. Thank you!
The world community is ONE. If everyone relates to one another with compassion and respect, there would be very few, if any, barriers of any sort. This story is like a pebble tossed onto the surface of a body of water. Its ripples will touch others wherever they may be.
may every being without exception be covered with sweetness
For act of kindness language is no bar every body understands it. Acts of kindness must be spread as wide as possible.
Beautiful. A small little moment turns into eternity.
Thank You for sharing this.
Soft shimmering light connecting strangers-us. Heart touching,heart warming , heart melting.
Thanks for sharing.
J P
Thank you for the heart warming story. It makes me wonder how would the world be if there were no language barriers, how many misunderstandings could be avoid, how much love could be shared? The beauty of this story is to imagine how many ripples it caused and the impact it had in each of those who were part of this beautiful chain of acts kindness.
@ Momastery on FB
This made my heart melt . . . and I now have an undeniable craving for a mamool cookie. :o) Naomi, thank you for sharing your touching experience, and for reminding us that this kind of shared world is not far from reach.
This is exactly where I want to live as well-in a shared world. So unbelievably beautiful and hopeful.