In the month of April I decided that I was going to do something special for other people which was going to require a little sacrifice from myself. On my Facebook I had been seeing that a lot of people were giving and getting free coffees from Starbucks. Someone started a trend of paying for the coffee for the person behind them in line. This caught on and started getting so popular. Finally, a nice gesture getting caught on. Since financially I couldn't pay for that many coffees in Argentina, nor do I even go to starbucks I decided to do something else that didn't require money and that people here in Argentina would enjoy receiving. I decided to give up my seat in all public transportation.
I have about an hour and a half commute in bus 4 days a week. People travel so squished and uncomfortable that if someone gave you seat you would think they were joking. and most of the time, that's the reaction I got. I gave up my seat over 30 times during the entire month, and let me tell you besides giving birth to Benji, it was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. In the mornings when I would leave at 7 in the morning I would sleep on the bus so the thought of my having to stand in order to let someone else sit was outrageous. When April first came around I was hesitating whether or not to give up the sleep I thought I needed. Of course, I ended up giving my seat to an older lady who really needed it more than I did. She was not so quick to take it. She said no thank you but I insisted and lied so that she would sit. A few times I lied saying that I was getting off soon, when really, I was taking the bus till the very last stop. Some people realized this when they got off before I did, but when you lie about something in order to help, it doesn't bring on guilt. I didn't feel bad at all. I tried to give my seat to people that I think needed it the most but weren't expecting it. Of course I would give it to a pregnant lady, someone carrying a baby, or with disability. But my goal was to give up my seat to someone who wasn't expecting it. Women wearing heels(I know how that feels) or perhaps people in a bad mood. I felt like they needed it more than I did.
I thought I was going to be exhausted. But I didn't ever feel more tired, if anything, when I arrived I felt more awake because I had an hour and a half to wake up. I felt happy helping other people.
Most of us think that the way to happiness is selfishness. You hear people all the time say, "as long as you're happy." My facebook is also so filled with "my way or the highway," and weakness, things like "I'm doing my best." As much I would like to believe you are trying your hardest, I can't help but know that you are giving up to easy. Perhaps I am harsh and demanding, my expect nothing less than, "I suck, but I am working on always trying to get better." If you think that you are already doing your best then there is no room to grow and do better.
So here is my point, your happiness is not having your way and doing everything for yourself, it's the opposite. It's found in helping others and giving everything you have to make the people around you happy. We have to all find a way to stop being so selfish. Help others. Be kind.
LOVE LOVE LOVE!
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