The bus was crowded as usual while I was on my way home, packed with people wanting to get home from work or school. As the bus lurched forward from a stop on Main Street, I noticed a woman holding the hand of her little toddler child and also attempting to keep track of at least four grocery bags full of heavy groceries with her other hand. The seats were already occupied on this full bus, and the woman wearily tucked a loose piece of her black hair behind her ear as she searched for a possible seat for herself and her child.
A few stops passed by, and several people got up from the seats to get off the bus. I was expecting someone to offer this woman a seat, because she was clearly in need of one. But to my surprise, this woman remained standing with her grocery bags tucked firmly between her feet and her hand still holding tightly to her toddler's. A group of teenagers occupied 3 seats near the woman, absorbed in their conversation and laughter. They didn't notice anyone else on the bus. It wasn't until a few stops later when a man finally noticed the woman's situation and offered her a seat. She gave him a fleeting but grateful smile as she sank down into the seat and took the toddler on her lap.
What could this woman have been through today? The faint, dark circles under her weary eyes made her look like she hadn't slept in 3 or 4 days. Anyone who looked at her would have seen how tired she was. But even so, half of the people on the bus didn't offer their seats, nor did they show any kind of concern for the woman. The people in need should be represented fairly, even if it is by a single action such as offering your seat for someone who might need it more than you do.
After the man got up for the woman and her baby, her face looked so much more peaceful. She actually could hear what her child was saying to her, keep track of her groceries, and keep an eye out for her bus stop. And the man? He was fine, looking at the toddler with an amused expression for a while before stepping off the bus.
Seeing that one act of kindness from one person inspired me to write about the little things we can all do throughout our days. Each moment comes with decisions we can make that will affect others around us in either a positive or negative way. Even a simple gesture like offering someone a seat on the bus can become seeds of hope for the receivers to sow in the lives of other people they encounter throughout the day.
Our attitude has a huge effect on the people we interact with. When we choose to smile, when we choose to make decisions that could brighten a person's day, those little things make a difference to at least one person. Knowing that we have that kind of power, we need to make those little choices every day, in every moment.
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