Katina Largos

On yesterday's post I talked about the wonderful people you meet in life . I do not know Katina Largos . I met her one time only and most likely our paths will never cross again . For me , it was a defining moment . Here is how it happened . I was sitting in the Toronto airport waiting for my connection to Montreal reading a book . Three seats down from me sat an elderly lady . She got up and asked me kindly if I would watch her baggage while she made a washroom visit. I agreed but thought to myself that is something one should never ask a complete stranger but maybe she saw something in my face she trusted . When she returned , she sat next to me and happily bantered about her trip . Like me, she was traveling alone . She was from Winnipeg and was on her way to Greece via Montreal to see her daughter and grandchildren. She was a plumpish , short woman with a huge , motherly smile , heavy accent and a devilish twinkle in her eye . She began to relate a bit of her story... cancer survivor , widowed young and never re married , though there was a man in her senior complex who wanted to keep her warm at night. She laughed and said she was hot enough without him . We continued to chat waiting for our plane to board and I told her of Tim Hortons and where I lived . She wanted my phone number when I offered my email , she laughed and said that she knew nothing of computers but her family always gave her phone cards as gifts . Obviously a lady who loves to talk . As we got up to leave , I asked her what her secret was for being such a happy person despite the adversity she had faced during her life . She flashed me a big grin and said " Well my dear , you have to love yourself ." Those simple words went straight to my heart and as we lined up for boarding , something happened to my composure and I felt the tears on my cheek . Before we parted ways , this joyous and warm hearted Greek woman grabbed my hand , brought it to her cheek and kissed it . " I am going to call you she said ." Katina is in her homeland of Greece for three months . I am not sure if she will remember me but I do know this . I will remember her .