are we olders entitled to a seat on the bus?
a friend recently related how embarrassed she was when someone stood up on the bus and offered her a seat. she said she felt old. for her ‘old’ was a negative, implying she was no longer able to stand, no longer physically fit. she did not want, simply by virtue of her grey hair, to be entitled to a seat. maybe, she mused, the person offering the seat had a headache or a heartache and was more in need of the seat than she was.i came away from the conversation pondering...how many times had i stood up for someone in the bus, on the tube? as a teenager i took three buses daily to get from my family’s new home to my high school. i stood a lot as i gave my seat to others who i thought were in greater need than i, many of them elders.is it payback time? had i earned enough good karma points to be able to sit now that my hair is greying and elder years show on my face?
i also recalled a time when i was obliged to take a rail replacement bus for the last 40 minutes of a journey home. i stood the entire time. i admit, i glowered at the two young people smooching in the seats right in front of me. by the time the bus journey ended, i was grumpy.my comment..."i hope someone offers a seat on the bus to your grandmother .”gratitude often springs to my heart when someone offers me a seat on hot and crowded public transport. while i am in good physical condition, there are certainly days i would much rather sit than stand. i am not embarrassed by the generosity of others; nor am i embarrassed to accept, with thanks.
do i feel entitled? sometimes yes, sometimes not really. rather i see the offer as a courtesy, a kindness. kindness is the balm of human interaction. it enables joy and a happier world.we need more kindness and more offers of seats!