I just wanted to give a little shout-out to a hero I saw today. It was on my daily bus ride. If I can be honest with you, I don't particularly like riding the bus. I know it's good for our earth, keeps me out of my car, moves a whole lotta people to work. But I really don't like it - the smells, the noise, the pushing, the closeness of all those people offend my North American need for personal space :) And really, most people on there appear really grumpy and frowny and unhappy.
But today. I saw a hero. A little wrinkly stooped man, missing a few teeth. Someone you would never give a second glance to. He got on, and gave the driver the best smile and hello and little chat. He wasn't rushed, didn't have an agenda to follow, just meandered on and engaged with the people he met. There was some garbage lying on the floor of the bus, which many people (myself included) had walked over, not noticing, or not making the effort to pick it up. This little jolly peaceful man did notice, and did make the effort, and picked it up and threw it in the bin.
I'm not sure why this one little moment made such an impression on me, but it did. Perhaps because in the midst of all the rushing, frantic, grumpy energy that is here on city transit, and that I seem to get pulled into so easily, this little man was a bright light, smiling and showing kindness. Kindness to the people he met, kindness to the environment he was in. He took a tiny step to make a difference, to make his world a cleaner place. Not a big effort, but it was noticed. That little man, unassuming and unpretentious, is a hero.
And it felt delightful to recognize that. And I think I'm going to make that my mission this week - to notice heroes all around me. Have you seen any heroes today?
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