I was waiting to board my flight from Vancouver to Edmonton last night when an airline associate brought a 12 year old Japanese girl to the boarding gate for the connecting flight to Edmonton. They were looking for someone who spoke Japanese to reassure the young girl, who was travelling alone, that all was well and this was her last leg of the journey before she was to be picked up by friends in Edmonton. She was doing well but noticeably uncomfortable not speaking the language. No one was found to interpret and I couldn't help but feel that concerned parents from Japan had exported their daugher out of the country for safety reasons. I would have given anything to be able to speak to her and comfort her during her journey but was not able to. I was sitting right next to her snackin away on some chocolate covered almonds so after a few moments I slowly slide the package over in front of her and without speaking I turned my eyes towards her. She looked up at me for a second expressionless. I said nothing but gave my head a single nod forward. She looked down at the package and slowly reached in with two fingers and removed 1 single chocolate. She looked back up at me with the same expressionless face as though to ask permission. I said nothing but gave my head a second reassuring nod. Her eyes still affixed on mine put the chocolate covered almond in her mouth, looked straight forward and proceeded to eat it. She finish the almond ,then looked back at me still emotionless and gave her head a single nod in appreciation. I said nothing but at that moment I felt very helpless and sad for the people of Japan and wished I could have help out just much much more. At the end of the flight in Edmonton I was collecting my bags and as I was leaving the terminal just before I walked into the giant revolving door, I looked over my shoulder and saw the same young lady with her relative or friends and she was looking over at me. I stopped and looked at her and she slowly raised her hand and gently waved as though not to be noticed. A very small but noticeable smile came across her face and then she looked away. The trip to Vancouver was for a funeral for a very close friend and filled with heart ache and saddness, but a single smile from a young girl from a very trouble country directed to a very tired old man took all the weight off my heart and made me smile. I will be forever thankful to her.