This Ain't the Movies, Folks.

Life is shorter than we imagine.  It is brilliant and bright.  And then, it is black.  No special effects or ominous movie music give us a warning of what is to come.  Power failure that one can't imagine.  As final as the chop of a guillotine.

Perhaps, you've heard the news of a friend who lost a loved one.  It gives you a quick reminder to love, really love those in your world.  So, do it.  Say what you need to say.  Say it.  Don't hesitate.  Share time and life with them.  Cut out the distractions.  There is no promise of another chance to experience their presence, their laughter, their words.

Work out your differences.  Or agree to to disagree.  But, let not one thing keep you separated from love.

Go where you want to go.  Say everything that you want to say.  Do everything you want to do.

Don't play it safe.  Play big.  Play until you can't breathe.

It's what I'm trying to do and why I am doing what may cause some to think I'm brave or crazy....depending on your perspective.

Oh.....remember we don't get to say when it's quittin' time.

Touching Happens
Lesson Four

Touching, bumping, elbowing, stepping-on, leaning into, falling against....it all happens.  And, occasionally, someone sits on someone.  Can't be helped or avoided.  It is a fact of life which exists when in close proximity to others in a moving vehicle.

What could be learned from this fact? hmmmmmm

Be nice.  Be polite.  Say and mean the words "I'm sorry"  Laugh and get over your pride.

Help someone if they're off balance.  Ask them if they're alright.  Offer your seat if it seems that someone can't stand without bungling into those around them.

And touching another human being isn't a bad thing anyway.  We're traveling together so we may as well feel connected.  Right?

I witnessed a co-worker lose his footing and land across two seats.  Luckily, there was no one in those seats.  Otherwise, there would have been someone reclined in their laps.  He was embarrassed and got up quickly without looking around. 

I chuckled for days.  Not because he was embarrassed.  Just because it was funny.  A normally dignified and got it together guy lost his balance and looked foolish for a minute.  I guess I was just laughing at his humanity which he had a really tough time accepting at that moment.

All of us look foolish.  All of us get embarrassed.  All of us fall, trip, misstep, or any number of things.  We get into other's space or bother them when this occurs.  

Can we accept their apologies or offer assistance?  Laugh and keep it simple?  Cry and keep it real?

We're together.  Touching can't be avoided. 

Your Stuff

Lesson Three

Your stuff is just that....your stuff.  Keep it in your seat or under your feet.

The seat beside you is for a person, another soul who needs to rest.  If your stuff is taking up extra space, there is no place for their respite.  The stuff which may be important to you is only in someone else's way.  Move it.  

Never, never, ever act like you are not seeing a person who needs to sit where you have placed your "stuff".  How arrogant to imply the importance of stuff over a fellow traveler!

Stuff can smell.  It can cause danger or injure another.  It may make unnecessary noise which agitates or angers another.  Be careful as to what stuff you bring with you onto the bus.  If it is too big, it will not fit inside your own seat or floor space.  Leave it behind.  No one should fall over your stuff.  

No matter how proud and thankful you are to have your stuff.....remember it is YOUR stuff.   The rest of the travelers may not want to talk about it or look at it.  Respectfully, keep it to yourself.  

Stuff.  

Something

That 

Usually

Fills

Falsely

TOGETHER

Walk onto the bus.  Ride up the ramp onto the bus.  We're on the bus.  Together.

Odor and aroma. Together.  Loud and quiet.  Together.  Hungry and fed.  Sad and happy.  Healthy and hurting.

You are probably getting the idea of one space and many bodies.  We went riding down the road all carrying our thoughts, opinions, pain, hope, and dreams with us.  All of us entered the bus as individuals trying to get to our own personal destination but we went together.

Some of us managed to allude any feelings of togetherness.   Eyes down.  Looked out the window.  Seated against the wall as far as possible.  It didn't change anything.  We were all together.

We all stood the risk of exposure to the same illness or accident.  We all had the opportunity to learn a valuable lesson from someone on the bus who may have been survived the crisis we were in now.  Each of us could look up and smile at someone hurting or be smiled at by someone who had hope when we had none.

No great incident may occur to unite us.  But, if circumstances threw us together, anything that happens  will only happen to us, together.  And, no one outside of this group could understand completely if we were to share our together story.

If I'm in sharing space with you, my hope is that we wring every together moment from that space.  That time and space may never come again.

I want to never miss a together, again.

It will get here.....

There are schedules.  There are apps.  Neither of which is completely accurate.  The Bus can be early.  Or, it may be late.  I have no control over it.  The best advise from The Bus is to be about 10 minutes earlier than the schedule.  

Time and traffic are constant struggles in the big city with commuting.  There is no controlling either when riding The Bus.  It will arrive when it arrives.  It took me quite a while to just show up and not fret.  

One morning, sitting at The Bus stop, I realized how often I was looking at my watch, counting the minutes left for me to get to work.  Worrying about how many minutes would be left to ride the bus.  Then, worrying about how many minutes it would take to get across the street and into the office.  Then, worrying because the bus was late and swallowing up my minutes. 

With a nervous but knowing laugh, I concluded that I was in Hawaii to heal and not waste time on worry.   A major portion of the workers ride The Bus and it was understood that The Bus wasn't always predictable.  Simply do my part by getting to the bus stop at a reasonable time.  Afterwards, for the most part, I learned to relax once I'd gotten to The Bus stop.  

Worrying about that which I could not control may actually be a fine example of arrogance.  How dare I think that if I worried enough that The Bus would get itself to my stop immediately?  Why should the thing which I want by the time I want it  be delivered by the person that I want to deliver it at the place that I want it?

There are many variables which influence when the bus arrives.  How many people were waiting at prior stops?  Were there any handicapped people which had to be aided in boarding?  Had there been a traffic jam?  Was there an emergency had by someone on the bus?  Did the weather slow down its arrival?

I need to show up on time.  Be responsible with my actions.  Then, let the rest unfold.  Save my energy for things that I can control.  God knows where the bus is.  He knows when it will get here.  And, he'll get me where I need to be in His time.

Ramping Up to Life Lessons on The Bus

Life Lessons on The Bus

Yep, I rode the bus for 13 months all over Hawaii.  I left behind the car which I owned in order to explore a whole new place.  It was tough at first.  Really, really tough.  We are so conditioned that an automobile indicates success.  

But, I grew accustomed to it.  Believe it or not, I didn't get behind the wheel of a car for about 11 months....Now, that is something to experience.  No key to any kind of motorized, get-me-there-when-I want-to-get-there kind of vehicle.  

Now, if you know me, you know that I'm gong to reflect on whatever I've experienced.  Twist, turn, and tangle it until I've wrung everything from it.  Thus, I've created a list of life lessons.

No seat belts on The Bus so hang on, sit down, brace your legs, or wrap your arm around something  because I'm going to share my lessons with you.  

Lesson One will come soon.