Kindness in Training. Little Acts of Kindness Not Such Big News!

It begins on the train a simple "hello" or "Excuse me" as one approaches an empty seat and another removes parcels etc. to make room.  Someone makes notice of a scarf on the sidewalk and run ahead to hand it back to the woman who has dropped it.   She is most thankful and says so while also smiling with grateful eyes as well.

Little deeds of kindness.

I am often asked about or practically mocked of my habit of taking the GO into the city when it could be sooooo much easier to drive in.   I digress in pointing out that I recently witnessed a driver stopping to allow pedestrians to cross the street; when it was for them to do so with the light.   The driver took care to allow these people to cross with the light having right of way as they did when the vehicle behind him; obviously agitated by the gesture, laid very heavily on his horn in protest. How RUDE I thought!!!
Yes, I quite enjoy the train ride into Toronto and find it brings forth opportunity to "people watch" and in that, taking notice of a more positive side of human behaviour and allowing one's faith in the good of people in general to be restored.

There IS much good in the world, sadly it isn't pages and pages of "GOOD" that allows the many forms of media to thrive, all too often placing the worst of human behaviour first and foremost, right there on the front page where it simply can't be missed!   It's that place where more of the "good" of people, community, society should; you would think, be honoured and shared!  Sadly and most disappointingly we as humans and in society are often drawn to those the worst of the stories only feeding into the frenzy of media and lining the pockets of the greater magnates in the world of selling "news"; whether in it's true and noble form or  the lesser noble form of.  It's very easy for us to be "SUCKED INTO" seeking out and only making notice of the circus of cheap, non knowledge building and gossipy like news rather than seeking out the positive, the champions in trying to make a difference in the world, simple acts of kindness, compassion, caring, seeing the world past your own immediate needs.

Taking the train into the city gives me the opportunity to witness interaction between people, those who know each other as well as those who have only just met due to their both being on the same train heading in the same direction.   It begins on the train and whether that connection between those people continues upon departing the train and entering out into the streets of the destination city, there will be additonal connections and interactions with others while out and about the city.

The scarf being dropped ...someone makes the connection in returning it.   A simple bumping into someone while hurriedly walking along, when you both apologize while making direct eye contact.  A young tot in a stroller has dropped their soother as you see the child's parent grasp the stroller handle and walk away, unknowing.   You follow after them and when you are thanked you immediately realize just how thankful they are, knowing it is most likely to have presented a difficult and testy situation for the parent in what would likely have been a very short time!    You see someone with their blankets arranged over a grate and what appears to be all and very little in their possession and a sign that says, "Begging sucks, compassion doesn't". You hesitate but realize how small a gesture but perhaps it might mean a lot and think no more about digging out at least enough affording them a hot cup of coffee, paired with a warm smile and a few kind words.

Ah, yes.  It is to start with a few kind words, the touch of a caring hand to ones arm or shoulder, direct eye contact in conveying ones caring.   If you just start with a word.   There is much kindness out there and perhaps we need to be more watchful and alert to it and work harder to turn away from the "sensationalisms" and circus-like stories pasted all about us.   I wish you kindness.