Over the years, each of my children learned a catechism question that asks, “Have you a soul as well as a body?” The answer always catches my heart: “Yes. I have a soul that will never die.” It’s nearly impossible to be annoyed with someone when I remember they have an undying soul.

If I’m honest, I don’t always remember this truth when it comes to my fellow air travelers. Just last week, I sat next to a man who claimed both armrests—and then some—for himself. On a later flight, I shared the row with a woman who used her leg room for her dog and my leg room for her purse. Their undying souls were not uppermost in my mind.

But, as Kyle Donn reminded me, my fellow passengers and I may be closer to eternity than we imagine. Writing about his experience preaching the gospel as his plane prepared for an emergency landing, Donn says, “For me, the Flight 2775 experience was a wake-up call to speak the gospel more often, and more boldly, to my unbelieving friends and family.”

I’d rather not wedge my feet between Fido and someone else’s bag, but if it’s an opportunity for a gospel conversation, I can learn to receive it with joy. As Donn’s powerful story underscores: Everyone has a soul that will never die.