Public transportation can be a great place to meet new people and learn important lessons about life. This piece will talk about three different experiences that show how important it is to show empathy, mindfulness, and compassion in the people we meet every day.
In the first story, there is a young boy who is sitting in a reserved train seat. A woman, who looked like she needed the spot, spoke to the boy, but he didn’t say anything. When the boy’s mother stepped in, things took a strange turn. He showed her his replacement limb, which left the woman speechless.
A pregnant woman was sitting in a special seat on a bus during the second meeting. When an older woman got on the bus, she started kicking the pregnant woman in the feet, which made her ask if she could sit down. The older woman wouldn’t admit she was wrong, which led to an awkward situation that ended with the pregnant woman getting off the bus.
In the third case, a woman named Marianne was sitting in a protected bus seat because of a problem with her hip. She had to give up her seat when a woman came up to her. Marianne didn’t want to do it, but she did, and when the bus suddenly stopped, she hurt herself badly. The woman’s shame after the bus driver’s kindness was a powerful reminder of how important it is to care about others, especially those who have secret disabilities.
These three experiences should remember us to be kind, patient, and understanding with each other. One contact at a time, this will help us build a community with more kindness and understanding.
