In Kim Hyoeon’s Korean picture book, I Am the Subway, the narrator, the subway system, shares passengers’ worries and hopes as they embark on Seoul’s Circle Line. These stories help us empathize with diverse people throughout the community.

When I decided to return home, I packed up my life in L.A. and boarded the Southwest Chief to Boston. Traveling across the United States by train allowed me to disconnect from my life in Los Angeles and experience a fresh perspective that God offered me. Heading to the observation car for my morning coffee, I wasn’t alone. A Mennonite man stared out at the sandy desert, and the nuns were having their morning prayer. Everyone seemed to be in their world but still riding together.

In I Am the Subway, the narrator gives us glimpses into the lives of people we don’t know or understand. As each story unfolds, the door opens for empathy to board, allowing connection to form. While sitting in the Southwest Chief’s Café car, a young man told me when you travel on a train, you can see the sun setting over the red rocks of Arizona, experience the steep, winding incline of the Raton Passage, and engage in conversations about time and environmental sustainability. His choice to ride a train over a plane speaks to his commitment to environment sustainability and community connection. I share his connection to being a good steward to the earth and its inhabitants.

Trains offer spaces for people to belong. When traveling, you might encounter another person face to face, and you have to give way so the other can continue their journey. In I Am the Subway, the stories of everyday people help us realize we are global citizens, which requires a level of accountability to all humankind. Our destinations may differ, and so may our stories, but empathy for others is critical to caring for our diverse world.

Laura is the founder of the blog Wereadworld.com. She aims to help lessen the fear of “the other” by sharing stories from voices who live in the margins for children and adults.