One evening last year while my husband and I were on vacation in Arizona, we sat down in a Mexican restaurant next to a middle-aged woman and her two college-aged kids. They nodded a friendly hello at us, and then returned to playing a card game while they waited for their dinner to arrive.

I was impressed that there werent any cellphones on their table. Just as I was thinking we should try the same thing with our own kids, the woman leaned over and, with a slight accent, made small talk with us about the restaurants chips and salsa.

The conversation quickly expanded to weightier topics. She told us they were currently visiting from the Netherlands and spending several days touring the western half of the United States. She regaled us with stories about all the countries theyd visited. Her children frequently chimed in to share memories of their trips and how much they loved the people and cultures theyd encountered. It delighted me to know that these two young adults had received the kind of active, hands-on education that only comes with traveling.

I enjoyed their stories so much that I secretly wanted to push our tables together and share our meals. Several times I thought of asking for their names and contact information, but I was deathly shy and worried that they might think it was a strange request. When it was time to leave, I wanted to scream it felt so wrong to say goodbye without having a way to stay in touch, but I just couldnt bring myself to ask.

The next day, my husband and I finished our getaway with a tour at Lower Antelope Canyon. Afterward, as we were walking toward the parking lot, I saw the Dutch family approaching the entrance. Ecstatic, I waved them down. The mom and I shouted, jumped and hugged. What a small world! we both repeated. My husband and I took turns hugging her children, and none of us could stop smiling. The mother handed me a bottle of carbonated water and reminded me to stay hydrated in the desert sun. Then she said they had to run because they were late for their tour. Again, I was dying to ask for her name and contact info, but instead I said, Can we get a picture together?