It’s been a year since I flew alone for the first time and was reminded of a lovely experience I had with an older woman I was seated with.

On the day of my travels, we experienced more turbulence than I was used to due to some bad weather in the area where our connection airport was. I don’t do a good job of hiding my anxiety, and at every little “drop” sensation I was grabbing my seat and closing my eyes, trying not to cry.

The older lady next to me noticed and immediately checked on me and gave me reassurance that it’s okay and normal. She knew exactly how to make small talk with me and actually distract me almost completely. We talked about our travel plans, her life, she told me about her happy marriage, her children, so much info I was happy to learn.

When she found out I’d have to stay a while at the connecting airport overnight, she offered to give me money to buy myself dinner. I politely declined, but it made me feel so cared for. She also gave me candy from her purse and told me that if I needed to hold her hand during any moment I felt scared, to do so. So I did, and every time I got nervous and instinctively held her hand, she would rub my shoulder. She told me “I’ve been on many flights, trust me, if I’m not freaking out, you have nothing to worry about” 

She also called the flight attendant and the attendant was just as reassuring.

Once we landed, I found her and her husband at the terminal and gave her a big hug and thanking her for being so good to me. And then I left.

I’ll always remember how compassionate she was and every time I look back on this memory it gives me more courage to fly. Also, enjoy a pretty sunset picture of one of the connection airports I stopped in. 



I had the best possible seat partner to calm me down, and I’ll never forget her