I have been riding the bus to work for over three years now. Each morning I arrive to find a slew of people waiting in line. I recognize most everyone though we rarely talk. We offer a quick nod to one another or we might mumble a “good morning” under our breath.
I have often thought it funny that there isn’t more interaction between us. This is a group of people that I see every day but we are reserved with one another. We don’t want to share too much or get involved.
I have also drawn some conclusions about this group of people. Such as, these people aren’t friendly, they want to be left alone and they do not care about others. Not that I was ever going out of my way to engage in conversation either.
But then, last week, I noticed something as I was standing impatiently in line.
An older gentleman wearing a green park ranger uniform climbed out of the passenger side of a late model Subaru. He turned, leaned back in and grabbed the lead of a large yellow Labrador retriever. The man moved tentatively, sometimes with one arm outstretched in front of him, as he made his way toward the bus. The dog, sensing the man’s pace, matched each step.
The long line of soon to be passengers stepped aside to allow the pair to board ahead of them. A gentleman near the front of the line said quietly, “You’re almost there. Just two more steps”. Another passenger reached out and guided the ranger’s outstretched arm toward the open door.
The ranger nodded in their direction and quietly said, “Thank you”. Then he climbed the stairs with the dog following patiently behind.
I don’t know anything about the ranger and his dog but I saw how the crowd responded to them and I knew that I had misjudged this group of people. This small act of kindness was simple and heart felt and I was glad to witness this quiet exchange.
This interaction reminds me of how easy it is to make assumptions about others. About how we first look for the negative rather than the positive in people. It also reminds me that seeing the good in others is a powerful way to feel happier, more loving and more productive in the world.
I can really relate to this. I wave to people all the time and noticed my son did nothing. I asked him why he didn’t wave when someone waved to him. He said, “I don’t know them.” So I explained that waving or just being friendly was a courteous thing to do that makes other people happy. It’s never wrong to try and spread happiness to another person.
I totally agree, thanks for the comment!
Gotta say that was a pretty awesome read!
It appears that you ride with a group of people that may not be a morning people, but they have a Good Heart. One out of two ain’t bad. 🙂
You are probably right, I’m not usually a morning person either! Thanks for commenting!