Lessons Learned

Each day on the bus when I encounter different people, it gives me the opportunity to learn lessons of life that I may not have gleaned otherwise. This morning while my son and I were riding, I thought he was being a bit disrespectful and I was contemplating how to continue to teach him these life lessons in a way that doesn't turn him away. To my surprise, a woman riding the bus with us later told me that she was very impressed with his behavior and thought he was quite mannerly. Lesson learned: I was being a little hard on him, he really was trying.

Later, I was riding and met a woman on the way to see her father at a health care facility. The route she was taking was new to her, and in addition to the driver, other passengers were offering her assistance to get to her destination. I shared with her my observances that bus passengers are very eager to help one another. She then shared with me the trails she has been enduring while trying to care for her father on her own. She finally had to relent to having him cared for by others, but was making the effort to visit him daily although it was not convenient for her. Despite not having the support or assistance from other family members, she was determined to care for her father to the best of her ability regardless of the sacrifices. Lesson learned: Doing what you know to be right may not always be convenient or popular, but worth it in the long run.

Last, but not least, I tried a new way of getting to and from the bus stop. I'm usually within a block or two of the bus stop, but lately I've been farther than normal from a stop. My solution is to bike to the stop, leave my bike with a lock at a nearby bike rack, and catch the bus. Then, when I return I hop on my bike to travel the few blocks instead of walking, especially since it's darker earlier. And if I chose to take my bike with me, all of the buses have at least two bike racks on the front; so I have the choice of leaving my bike at the stop or taking it with me. Lesson learned: There are several ways of getting around without a car, you just have to put your mind to it. I'm grateful for all the lessons learned today; I'm excited to see what tomorrow's lessons will be.