For a person like me, travelling opened the door to observe and understand people. I love to travel by train and I know why. First of all, it’s comforting. No matter how sad, angry, or anxious I am, when I get onto the suburban train, I became quiet and calm. I always wondered why. Even if I am on the verge of losing my cool, a back and forth travel in a suburban train makes me calm.
ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT TRAVEL IS THAT YOU FIND OUT HOW MANY GOOD KIND PEOPLE THERE ARE. “
EDITH WHARTON
My mom once told me how and when it all started. When I was a 5months old baby, once my Appa(dad in the Tamil Language) returns home from the office, he takes me on a trip by train. It’s not only during that time. Even during weekends and also if I cry my dad immediately takes me on the train and there I became quiet as a lamb.
I have met different people during my journey. Sweet chubby little girl coming back from her school with her mother, White-haired and smart looking, an old grandma who reads wonderful novels, I later get to know her that she’s a retired principal. And a tired woman ticket checker, who once overslept and I woke her up, who later became my friend.
Not just them, I also got to see high school kids who spend their entire journey talking smart stuff. There will be uncles who debate on politics and spirituality and uncles who fight with each other for useless things. There will be aunties who adjust and give places for girls standing, aunties who talk about the economy and human rights and aunties who badmouth each other for accidentally stepping in each other’s feet. Also, the kind hardworking handicapped brothers and sisters who sell burfi. Please, guys, get some burfi from these people. They are really sweet.
On a really bad day, we might encounter some drunkards and perverts too.
Apart from the suburban train, I have also met lots of nice people on the metro train. I have met strangers who share a smile with each other. Meeting kind foreign guys who just makes us feel so energetic by their enthusiasm, as well as dads who carry their kids over their shoulders showing aeroplanes, and buildings, and first-timers doing a video call to their family or taking video of the airport – these are sometimes a trademark of Metros in Chennai.
I decided to write this post is because I met a kind person last Saturday. I don’t usually ride on the bus. I find it insecure. I neither want to be molested nor want to lose my phone. So, I avoid travelling on buses as much as possible. But on one Saturday I got on a bus due to a lack of share auto service. While my stop was nearing, I moved to the door trying to get in front of an old man. This Old person is the reason I wrote this post.
Recently, I have been encountering more and more bad, vile, and selfish people. So, I was feeling so much hopeless about humanity. I longed to encounter good people once in a while. I longed so hard. And this old person, is so tall man, with a bald head with a few silver hairs.
While I was hurrying to overtake him to get closer to the bus door. He pulled me back, told me, “Wait, Miss, wait, why are you rushing? What are you rushing for?, You still have lots of time to live, you have a long way to go. Don’t get hurt. Be patient”. I was perplexed. But, strangely I was happy to hear those words. I know I sound weird. But, I am so happy he said that. I am so happy he cares. He nagged the guy who was wearing headphones and blocking our way too. He nagged him and got down. He walked in the same direction as me.
While I was walking behind him, I noticed another incident too. He helped girls cross the road safely. He helped to move a girl’s luggage. He has this concern for us. I found something in him. It’s called humanity. He started to move faster. I tried to catch up with his speed and get acquainted with him. But, I missed him.
I regret all those unsaid words. But someday, if I find him, I will tell him, how thankful I am. If you come across some good and kind people like him. Go up to and talk to them soon. Tell them thanks. Trust me, these people are the last. We won’t find people like them in our generation or in the future.
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