Taking a sabbatical from myself

While waiting for my shuttle in Denver, I found a nice little spot to do emails.  There was only one other woman sitting three seats away. Perfect. Except, she started talking. And talking. And talking. She was on lunch break from airport restaurant job.  I figured she was on lunch break so I could sacrifice a few minutes from my selflessness. Perhaps she knew that too.  She could talk and talk and then their was an end.  From her multiple divorces to son dying of Leukemia to struggling grown children and her medical condition.  Her life was a mess, a beautiful mess.  And I heard all about it.  "My son asked me, "Mommy, what is heaven like?"  and then she broke into tears.   Silence. And then more talking.  I may have gotten in a few words. Otherwise I just smiled and listened. She told me how when people looked troubled as they came through the airport, on the way to funerals or other hard things, she can tell they aren't doing well and so she asks them how they are doing and then gives them hugs.  I was reminded of a gal yesterday at Costco who said during her job, "I am bored to tears." And here was this woman, a cashier, in her 60's, trying to "give more than I get."  A woman, living alone in her trailer park, trying to make sense of this life.  I was thinking just a few minutes earlier as  I was walking to this little private quiet place  in the airport that I need to be available to people and not just go into my world.  So glad I listened.  I just had a thought. Maybe I should consider this whole next few months as me just taking a sabbatical from myself.