I have just thought of coming up a regular post in the outreach blog about sowing an act of kindness on a daily basis by the students. This invites them to share the experience of kindness they have done to other people. Hmm...I know they will be motivated with this idea. Let me start it here then...
This happened inside the bus. I and my friend Gayle were on our way home from Ateneo then. We had a meeting with Father Joe, a Jesuit priest, so we went to Katipunan to see him. Hmmm...after talking to him about some concerns, we had our malling and then went home.
We were on board the Genesis bus, tapos sa tabi ko, dahil sa me aisle ako umupo, were two ladies who are on their mid 50's. I and my friend were making chikka, pero...pansin ko lang...hmmm...mabilis magpatakbo ang driver. Not only that...pabigla bigla din s'yang mag preno, sort of balasubas ika nga. So, parang medyo di kami really makapag concentrate dahil lagi ngang swerve ang driver...kakalokaaa talaga...nakakawala ng focus kasi kailangan naming humawak at baka kami ay mahulog sa aming kinauupuan o sumubsob sa aming harapan.
Nagpatuloy ang aming paglalakbay sa ganoong situation sa loob ng bus...hanggang all of a sudden, biglang halos mag break na di naman natuloy ang driver. Di ko napansin na yung ale pala sa katabi ko ay nakaupo na yung mga paa ay nakataas. So yung kanyang mga sandals ay napunta sa bandang harapan...mga about apat na upuan ang layo from where she is seated.
I noticed yung reaction n'ya as she was looking for her sandals...she was kinda worried kung saan umabot ang mga yun and she was making some comments about the driver. So since I heard her...and nakita ko how upset and worried she was...sabi ko..."napunta po sa bandang harapan. Ayun po!" So she tried to sort of see them, kaso di n'ya makita dahil nasa ilalim nga ng upuan.
I can sense and feel the worry in her face...alam ko she was thinking kung ano ang gagawin n'ya. I was also thinking of whether those who are seated will do something...na sana makita yung sandals n'ya and they would ask kung kanino ang mga yun. waaaaah....di naman sila react...and I do not also know kung nakita ba nila...
Patuloy na mabilis ang takbo ng bus...umastang tatayo ang matanda pero biglang nag swerve na naman ang sasakyan, so umupo s'ya ulit. It was during this time that I made the act of helping the old woman. Kapampangan din s'ya....and so sabi ko..."Ako nalang po ang kukuha." waaaah...so kesehodang gumapang gapang ako because it was not possible for me to walk sa aisle...kailangan kong kunin sa ilalim yung sandals n'ya, at kesehodang naka blazer ako at medyo formal suot ko dahil me pinuntahan pa akong isang office maliban kay Father....kinuha ko talaga ang mga ito. It was difficult, kasi mabilis ang sasakyan...di ako puedeng tumayo...but I was able to do it.
I know other passengers were looking at me then, kasi parang ako yung tipong di gagawin yun dahil sa porma ko....pero di ko na inalintana ito. My mind then was focused on how I will get the sandals of the woman. Besides, siguro innate na sa pagkatao ko yung immediate reaction ko and my desire to be of help.
And so, the woman thanked me. She doesn't know nga pano n'ya ako pasalamatan and she said: "Me mga tao pa rin palang mabait these days." Then my friend said: "Di lang po mabait ang friend ko, maganda pa!" nyahaha...natawa ako sa friend ko.
Noong mga oras na yun, with the remarks of the woman...I felt different....there was JOY in my heart then, and sabi ko sa sarili ko, iba pa rin talaga ang mararamdaman mo when you extend help. The words of gratitude uttered by the woman, na di ko man nga alam kung ano ang pangalan, have kept me motivated to do acts of kindness whenever and wherever I can.
Truly, showing kindness would make you feel great...it makes you feel that your life is really fruitful and worthwhile because you were able to do something good to other people. Kailangan lang talagang ma instill sa system natin, sa ating pagkatao ang spontaneous gesture of goodwill towards others. Sa ganitong paraan we show our care and love to them.
Hindi mahirap ang gumawa ng kabutihan sa kapwa. Maraming pagkakataon and darating sa ating buhay. Ang tanong nga lang ay....Tayo ba ay nakahanda? O baka naman tayo ay nahihiya kaya?
It is a matter of choice and decision. We are given the free hand to respond to every situation. Whatever we do, whether to react positively or not...then...this is what and who we are in this life we have.
Sa ganang akin, mas gugustuhin ko siguro yung makatulong at me kaligayahan sa puso ko dahil natugunan ko ang pangangailangan ng kapwa ko. Yung walang feeling of guilt on my part na di ako nakatulong...dahil....who knows someday....pano nalang kaya kung ako naman ang nangangailangan ng tulong?
We have to carry out an act of kindness in our everyday life with no expectations of reward because someday, someone or somewhere somebody will just do the same for us.
