I have a new colleague. Turns out she lives in Lowell.  The next time town over from Billerica, where I live.  Usually she rides the commuter rail, but due to last night’s rain, her commute home would have been well over three hours.

So, when she asked if I’d be willing to drop her at a much closer train stop (around the corner from my house), I was happy to oblige.

I’ve been commuting into Boston for the better part of nine years, and aside from the occasional shared ride with my husband or son, I’ve never actually commuted with company.

The time together opened things up, despite the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

I learned that three weeks earlier she was working for a television station in Uganda.  She learned that I just recently started coaching tee ball.  She told me about her church.  I told her about my yoga.  We shared stories about our mothers, fathers, and siblings.  Found out we both love Sundays and cooking, and finding time to just be…alone.

Over the years, I’ve been gifted a few precious and lasting friendships with colleagues – but never one that started as simply and lovely as this.

All it took was the willingness to share.  And a lot of rain. 🙂