About a week ago, I rode the 105 east to Vendome. When I entered the bus, I sat in the seat right beside the rear exit. After a couple of stops, I noticed across the aisle a woman standing with her infant in a stroller. Most passengers were oblivious, plugged into their music or phones, paying no attention to anyone, let alone a woman in need of a seat. I did the civil thing and gave the woman my seat: a small gesture easy to enact. She was happy; I felt good. After standing for a few minutes, I spied a vacant seat in the rear. Not seeing anyone else in great need of the spot, I took it. From that vantage point, I could see most of the passengers isolated in their cocoons of self-absorption. The words that ran through my mind were "incivility" and "lack of community." One day, one bus ride, a random group of passengers do not a society make. And a crowded bus doesn't necessarily bring out the best in people. Yet if this bus were a microcosm of our society, I would fear for our collective survival. If we lose our civility, we lose an integral part of our humanity. Show compassion for your fellow passengers on the bus ride of life because who knows when you will need a seat. Simply stand up and smile.
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