Meet the professor...

At work I met a man who was about 4' 5", wearing a modest button down shirt and slacks. He had seen his fair share of years, I'd say around 60 of them and his thick glasses showed their wear and tear. The small man walked up to me only to be directed to my Indian guard counterpart since they help with the intake of visitors at the US Embassy. After he had been screened and properly prepared by the guard he was sent back over to me to finalize his screening, a simple issue of a badge and a send off.

I took a second look at his ID while he waited patiently for the person he was visiting. Professor so-and-so from the University of Delhi (something to that affect). Totally out of his element being directed back and forth by security, by me.. he seemed so fragile, so unimportant.. yet, in another environment, I might be in one of his political science classes depending on him for academic survival! All of a sudden, I felt awkward and unsure of how I so easily dismissed him as just another nuisance...

"So how long have you been teaching Political Science?" I asked through the cold bulletproof glass separating us.. he smirked, then laughed under his breathe, suddenly comfortable..

"35 years" he said smartly, then asked what my background was. I returned the smile and began to proudly answer with 'Psychology', but before I could he ventured off to visit who he come to see.

It is moments like these, when we notice the subtleties of each other that we come closer to our own humanity. I hope that much for everyone..