At times all you need is someone to listen to you. Here is a story of how listening was the only thing that was needed to help someone. (Thanks Charlotte for sharing this story with us through our page).
Source: Reddit
In April 2014 I was returning to Philly from a 6 month stay in Australia. On my flight from Sydney to San Francisco I was sitting on the aisle and at the window was a woman who looked so sad. The lady in the middle was drinking a ton so getting up a lot to use the bathroom. On one of her absences I noticed the woman at the window was sobbing, so I slid over to the middle seat and asked if she was okay.
That poor woman turned to me and hugged me, she sobbed on my shoulder so I just hugged her until she withdrew from my hug. She held my hand and told me how a few weeks ago her husband died in his sleep very unexpectedly. (Assuming he was close in age to her and she was around 45-50).
She had his funeral and then went to Australia to visit her sister for a few weeks. She told me she realized she was going home to an empty house and it would be the first time she would be alone since he passed.
We sat in silence for awhile and I just held her hand while she looked out the window. We got off the plane, went through customs, and that was that.
I don’t know her name, it’s been nearly 8 years, but I think of her so often. I wonder if she has found love again, if she’s happy. I don’t think I’ll ever forget her. I hope she knows that wherever she may be, I am wishing her well.
This is basically the first time I’ve ever really shared this with anyone in such depth.
