Strangers On A Bench

(*image from google search)There was an accident yesterday on a main road coming home from downtown. I must've sat through the lights for at least 10 minutes. My three year old was overly tired and grumpy. My stomach was twisting and turning as I hadn't felt well all day. I wanted to get home...badly. On the other side of the street there were two people at a bus stop. A black skinny man in his 40's and a chunky white one in his late 60's. They sat on opposite sides of the bench. I observed their body languages as they were engaged in a really good conversation. Both would laugh and carry on. One would speak while the other nodded and back and forth. They couldn't have been more polar opposites on the outside. In other words, I couldn't imagine them even holding a conversation, let alone sharing such delightful-ness that they were laughing out loud. At that moment I stopped Kali and her whining, "Baby girl, love every single person who enters your space.""What you say, mama?" She asked to repeat it. I did. She agreed that she loved everyone. Finally she quiet down and I took a deep breath.The traffic light changed without movement. And then, the city bus stopped, covering my view of the two men. I figured they both got on. It moved on and the white man was left sitting on the bench. He looked happy, shaking his head and smiling alone. He was touched by something, whether it was humor, lightness, acceptance, or life.This is humanity in moments when no one is looking. Life moves through us. It happens from us, not to us. We have the ability to touch another. We have the gift to love a stranger, regardless of social class, race, gender, or religion. We get to decide every single day what our superhero abilities can do for the world. It doesn't have to be on a giant scale. You can just entertain another person on a bench waiting on a ride.Those two souls changed my attitude in a few minutes without even knowing it.Do good. Be good. Be kind. It takes a few seconds to smile and give another words of affirmation. Today it's you being the generous giver. Tomorrow it might be your turn to receive. Life is definitely fluid and beautiful and you get to decide how it turns out.Happy Day!