Tourists dragging suitcases are just part of the background in downtown DC. But sometimes a particular tourist will stand out.
A small, middle-aged woman had just exited the metro station, toting a suitcase that surely was heavier than she was and almost as tall. She stopped and leaned on her bag to look at her cell phone and would look across the street, then back at the phone, then across the street and so on.
I stopped. "Do you need help? Are you lost?"
"I think I'm ok. The hotel seems to be just a couple of blocks from here," she said. "I'm in town for the NA Conference."
I looked at her quizzically and she said, "Narcotics Anonymous. There will be thousands attending – I am excited to meet as many people as I can."
I nodded. "Well, the convention center is not far from here," I said as I gestured in its direction.
She smiled and then again looked across the street. "I am from the west coast and have never been to DC. We don't have buildings like those!"
I looked where she was looking and of course, nothing looked special to me.
"Welcome to the nation's capitol! You'll be seeing a lot of buildings like that for sure!"
"Thanks for being so friendly – I really appreciate it," she said as she waved and dragged that enormous bag down the street. I watched her go, hoping that her convention would be everything she wanted it to be, and that she would find time to see more of the city.
And I would try to stay alert and be appreciative of the unique beauty of my daily environment.