A beautiful story, wonderfully told by Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye (“Gate A-4“) from David Kanigan’s “Live & Learn” blog.

Wandering around the Albuquerque Airport Terminal, after learning my flight had been delayed four hours, I heard an announcement: “If anyone in the vicinity of Gate A-4 understands any Arabic, please come to the gate immediately.” Well— one pauses these days. Gate A-4 was my own gate. I went there.

An older woman in full traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, just like my grandma wore, was crumpled to the floor, wailing. “Help,” said the flight agent. “Talk to her . What is her problem? We told her the flight was going to be late and she did this.”

You know that airport scenes don’t always turn out well.

This one did.

Just click the link and read on.