Every little kindness helps!

 

You can positively or negatively change people's lives by your actions and attitude! If we show a little kindness to others, we can lighten up their days and make them happy.

My experience with a bus driver a few weeks ago made me to reflect on human actions and urged me to share details of this encounter in this write-up. 

On this faithful day, I wanted to take a public transport (the Dublin Bus to be precise) from the area where I work to the city (the City Centre).

Payment in Dublin buses is strictly by coins (the exact amount preferably). To make things more awkward, bus drivers do not (are not permitted to) accept bank notes. 

You will understand what I mean if you live in Dublin and know how the Dublin Bus services work. If you do not have the exact coins, the driver cannot give you change rather he/she will give you a voucher (a credit note, sort of) which indicates the amount you are owed. No matter the amount involved and where you live, you will have to go to their Head Office in Dublin City Centre, present that voucher and collect your change. 
This can be very inconveniencing if you do not live or work in that area and will have to travel solely for the purpose of collecting your change. You might end up paying more money on transportation than the amount you are about to collect.

I do not use the Dublin Bus services often because it is off my route. As a result, I did not remember to check and ensure that I have enough coins on me before boarding the bus. It was only when I entered the bus that I thought to myself "oh my God, I am not sure if I have enough coins". And truly, I did not have enough!

When I found out that the coins I had in my purse were not enough, I asked the driver to let me check my bag for more coins. She agreed and drove off giving me time to check.

I carefully searched every nook and cranny of my bag and purse and could not get enough coins. I approached her and explained. I expressed my willingness to pay with a bank note and collect a change voucher if possible. To my pleasant surprise, she told me not to bother that she can allow me to travel without payment. 
Maybe she was touched by the way I searched frantically without success or she fully understood the situation whereby one is caught up with lack of coins. 
She could have easily stopped at the next station and asked me to alight from the bus and look for change, but she showed this unexpected kindness which made my day.

This made me to realise how important it is to put ourselves in other people's shoes and try to help as much as we can to make things easy for them.

I am really of the opinion that we should always show compassion and understanding when dealing with others.