This week’s episode of Kindness Magnet includes both the podcast and the text. Whichever you prefer, I hope you enjoy the message.
A Kind Act, In Spite of Myself
Last week I participated in a kind act…. in spite of myself. You would think, ‘Hey, she writes about being kind. So, isn’t she always on the lookout for opportunities to be kind?’ Actually, sorry to say, on this day, I wasn’t. 😪
It was a sunny San Diego morning, with a little ocean breeze – not enough to blow off my wide brimmed red hat - just one of those light, feel-good breezes. I had made my way past the beachy gift shops and condos along State Street and across the train tracks to the MTS bus stop. For the uninitiated, each bus has a numbered ‘stall’ so you know where to wait. My previous bus-riding experiences included riding from ‘Dog Patch’ in San Francisco on buses with questionably clean seats and patrons, to buses from train stations to airports, somewhat cleaner, in my humble opinion.
So, I had that “I’ve ridden a bus before”, no eye contact kind of wariness as I waited in the sun. A 30-something tattooed girl with black hair was already at the stop, but she was talking on her phone. No problem.
As the minutes ticked by, I could hear someone else coming up to the stop. The glint from an aluminum blue walker caught my eye, followed by a pair of tan feet in worn leather flip flops. Turning my head, ever so slightly, I saw an elderly man with thinning white hair, shuffling along, gripping the walker. He smiled. I half smiled. He sat down on the shaded bench. I stayed in the sun, (which was starting to feel hotter now) staring at the empty bus stall in front of me.
A couple of silent minutes went by, and then,
“Hey lady. Lady in the red hat.”
Turning meant eye to eye contact with Mr. Blue Walker. That’s when I realized that he was also sporting a thick, green and white plastic neck brace.
Since I was the only person within 200 yards wearing a red hat, I answered, a little meekly. “Hi. Can I help you?” (half expecting a request for money).
I was way, way, way wrong. I never expected the request he made. He said,
“Would you mind getting me one of those trip planners off the bus when it gets here? I’m trying to check the schedules and bus routes.”
At that point I had a mixture of relief… and… really feeling like a completely terrible person!
“Oh, sure. I’d be happy to.”
I stepped into the shadows of the covered benches and stood next to the man, who, 30 seconds before I had labeled a street person. “If you don’t mind my asking,” I said, looking at his walker, “What happened?”
Serious Accident
Over the next few minutes, Robert (yes, the street person had a name) told me about his bicycle accident that landed him in the hospital for two and a half months. He had been riding, on his way home from celebrating his 70th birthday. He lived on a boat in the harbor. The harbor next to where I lived.
His daughter was fixing up the boat to make it easier for him to maneuver around in when he got home. Today was his first outing and he had walked a mile with that blue walker, one flip flop in front of the other. (I had a new found respect for him!). Now he was checking out the bus routes so he could make a plan to get around. His bicycle days were over, at least for a while.
The red and white bus pulled up, letting out that whoosh of air as the driver lowered it to the curb. I climbed on, paid my fare, grabbed a blue trip planner and told the driver, “I’ll be right back.”
As I handed the trip planner to Robert, it occurred to me that he had blue eyes, that matched his blue walker, that matched the blue trip planner. Funny what happens when you make eye contact with a stranger. Funny what happens when you open yourself up to kindness.
Open for comments: Have you ever made a judgement, only to discover that you were wrong?
Open for feedback: Thoughts on the podcast and/or the written form?
If you’d like to check out my library of articles, here’s the link to my site.
Thanks for sharing your day with me. May your week be filled with kindness. 💜
Heather Johnston Brebaugh
PS - If you know of someone who might enjoy starting their Monday with kindness, please share Kindness Magnet with them.
A Kind Act, In Spite of Myself