Kindness, Cabs, Cars and Conversation

"A real conversation always contains an invitation.  You are inviting another person to reveal herself or himself to you, to tell you who they are or what they want."

~ David Whyte

On a recent business trip, I ended up taking a few cabs as well as using an on-demand car service.  I rode with a mother of three children who lives with them and with a grandchild.  She begins driving after dropping off the younger two at school.  We talked about parenting and college.  I drove with a man from Bolivia, who was thrilled to be driving full-time.  We discussed problems in Latin American countries.  And late one evening, I spent time with a gentleman from Ethiopia.  He was not sure how to get to my destination, so I said that I would use my navigation app.  We both ended up laughing at the "boy band" voice that my children set in the app.  I learned several things at the conference I attended and heard very prominent people speak, but when I look back on the few days that I was away, these conversations are among the highlights.