I’ve been looking for something that I can do anywhere
without spending any money. I decided to
be more aware of my surroundings and look for acts of kindness. I don’t listen to music as I explore NYC, but
this requires you to unplug from technology to benefit from it most. I really need to start brining a notepad a
long to jot down thoughts so that I can remember the things I see.
One of the things that I can do while looking for ways to
help other is just being nice to the bus drivers. I’ve noticed that they appreciate a “hello”
so much. I heard a bus driver tell one
lady today that she could get on the bus early because she was nice to him and
treated him as a actual person. I bet it
would get pretty annoying stopping for so many people all day and not hearing
any kind words from them. So, I am determined
to be extra kind to my bus drivers, even when they’re grumpy.
I was on the bus, going my usual route to Union Square, when
this stupid SUV decided to try and sneak pass the bus through a tiny little
street with a car on the other side.
This girl was in trouble, she was right out my window and I was just
watching her shaking my head and her stupidity that she thought she could get
through. I was also watching other
people watch her, thinking the same thing.
Everyone just waiting to see the consequence of her choice and who’s
vehicle was it going to affect. She
barely squeezed by the time warner truck when she reached a mini, this was
gonna be the one she scratched for sure.
Then this tough looking guy, appeared right in front of the mini and
flipped the drivers side door mirror in.
He proceeded to guide the lady through the tight squeeze and she got
through with barely an inch to spare.
The lady stopped and shook hands with the guy who helped her before
going on her way. Everyone just went on
as normal. Beautiful act of kindness, I
think it was the guys car too, I would have been freaking out.
Then a few stops later, we came to an intersection. There was a blind lady with her walking stick
standing at the curb waiting for the light to change so she could cross. I was thinking to myself, “ how blind is she
really if she can see the light change and the walking man come on”. She couldn’t.
As the light changed a bunch of people started crossing and she just
stood there. I felt so bad, I wish I
could be next to her to let her know it had changed. But, never fear, a good pedestrian was
near. A disheveled looking man ( there are
lots of disheveled looking people in NYC, I am one of them.) came up to her and
offered to help her across. He walked
her across safely, and then turned around and walked back. My first thought was, “ phew, I’m so glad
someone helped her”. My second was, “wow,
that was nice of the man to take her across even though he wasn’t going that
way. He must work at that fruit cart on
the corner.” I watched the man walk as
the bus turned. He passed the fruit
cart, he passed the next shop, and the next, and the next. Holy crap where did this guy come from. Then
finally he stopped, and I watched him get into a super nice Mercedes SUV!
WHAT. I don’t know how long the poor
blind lady had been standing there, but apparently enough time for the rich man
to observe and see a need and walk quite a ways to help her. This made me smile so big, I kind of giggled
out loud a little bit. It was
awesome.
I was walking back from visiting the MET and I saw a couple
walking ahead of me and the girl was wearing a shirt that said, “ AGGIES” on
the back. I was like “Aggies?, You guys
from Utah?” They were a little taken a
back for a second. But loosened up after
I said I was from Provo. They had just
got in last night and didn’t even know how to travel around the city with a
Metro card. I walked with them for a
half mile dishing out all the information and tips that I could. They were so grateful and I was so excited
that I could help them. Their names were
Karli and Paul from Idaho, I wish I would have got there number, we probably
could have had fun. Oh Well. I was trying to pay the kindness forward.
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