Random acts of Sweetness all the time

Bangkok is a Big City like any other but……I don’t really like cities and so always feel happy to get to my little village after traveling.

Recently I was in Bangkok for 2 days.  I had a dentist appointment and some computer ‘first aid ‘to take care of. I usually ride the BTS (the above ground sky train).  It’s easy to figure out and – best of all – it’s air conditioned.

Clothes, books, teaching materials, a laminator, groceries and so on filled two rolling suitcases.  They were heavy and just barely manageable.  Some of the BTS stations have escalators up.  That really helped.  But mostly I was left to ‘schlep’ my ‘stuff’ up and down the stairs, making connections to the train and my hotel.

Here is the essence of Thai people:  Four times I was offered a seat, rather than standing, on the sky train.  And six different people helped me get my bags up and down the stairs.  Unsolicited kindness.

I knew I could carry my own bags but it would take me longer, then, out of the blue, from the side, someone would take a bag and say, ‘Let me help you with that’.  Young women or men with a willingness to help an older American woman.

For those of you  who didn’t live through the times of ‘women’s liberation’, we used to make a point of opening our own doors, paying for our own lunch and carrying whatever we brought.  It was a sign of  ’consciousness’ about the strength of women and a message to the world that we were equal to men.

Thirty to forty years have passed.  I’m in Thailand a 65 year old volunteer teacher.  And,  I am less adept at ‘lugging’ things around these days.  So, I let go of my impulse to be an independent feminist and I have learned to be gracious and say thank you very much.

Beyond all that, is the spirit of  Thai people. Kindness and generosity deeper than the anonymity of a city.

The spirit of everyday helpfulness prevails.

Unsolicited sweetness.

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