Be present

I’ve been thinking what is our role in the society these days…

Well, an embarrassing situation gave me a part of the answer.

Last week I was on the bus, going to university. At the second bus stop a middle-aged lady got on the bus, she had crutch, but I couldn’t even notice it because there were so many people, I guess others couldn’t see it either. Suddenly she started yelling at the girl who was sitting next to me:

-Why aren’t you moving your ass, don’t you see that I have crutch? Nobody told you that you have to stand up and give your seat to a sick person? Beside I’m older than you, once you saw that I’m here, you should have gave me your seat! Our parents told us how to respect, how to behave, and we know this, but this generation doesn’t know anything! And you are raising your voice because you want to change this country! You have to be ashamed!

And she continued to yell at that pour girl, or I can even say, at every young person on the bus. Other old people raised their voice too and agreed with this women.

After this situation I felt myself ashamed. Not because I think this woman was right, but because I didn’t say anything. I wanted to tell her that she isn’t better educated than us at all, because she is yelling instead of asking politely for a chair. I also wanted to say that being aggressive doesn’t lead to be in a better situation, to be respected, she just embarrassed herself and if she would have asked politely than that girl would have felt bad because she didn’t notice her earlier, but this way that women convinced us that she is bitter, aggressive and unable to educate.

This made me remember that participating on different conferences, events, organizing them, being a volunteer is just not enough. We have to be present…present in everyday situations, being able to raise our voice for what is right, for what is kind, for what makes us and others living better, in a better community.