βSome years ago, I was stuck on a crosstown bus in New York City during rush hour. Traffic was barely moving. The bus was filled with cold, tired people who were deeply irritatedβwith one another; with the rainy, sleety weather; with the world itself. Two men barked at each other about a shove that might or might not have been intentional. A pregnant woman got on, and nobody offered her a seat. Rage was in the air; no mercy would be found here.
But as the bus approached Seventh Avenue, the driver got on the intercom. βFolks,β he said, βI know youβve had a rough day and youβre frustrated. I canβt do anything about the weather or traffic, but hereβs what I can do. As each one of you gets off the bus, I will reach out my hand to you. As you walk by, drop your troubles into the palm of my hand, okay? Donβt take your problems home to your families tonightβjust leave βem with me. My route goes right by the Hudson River, and when I drive by there later, Iβll open the window and throw your troubles in the water. Sound good?β
It was as if a spell had lifted. Everyone burst out laughing. Faces gleamed with surprised delight. People whoβd been pretending for the past hour not to notice each otherβs existence were suddenly grinning at each other like, is this guy serious?
At the next stopβjust as promisedβthe driver reached out his hand, palm up, and waited. One by one, all the exiting commuters placed their hand just above his and mimed the gesture of dropping something into his palm. Some people laughed as they did this, some teared upβbut everyone did it. The driver repeated the same lovely ritual at the next stop, too. And the next. All the way to the river.
We live in a hard world, my friends. Sometimes itβs extra difficult to be a human being. Sometimes you have a bad day. Sometimes you have a bad day that lasts for several years. You struggle and fail. You lose jobs, money, friends, faith, and love. You witness horrible events unfolding in the news, and you become fearful and withdrawn. There are times when everything seems cloaked in darkness. You long for the light but donβt know where to find it.
But what if you are the light? What if youβre the very agent of illumination that a dark situation begs for?
Thatβs what this bus driver taught meβthat anyone can be the light, at any moment. This guy wasnβt some big power player. He wasnβt a spiritual leader. He wasnβt some media-savvy βinfluencer.β He was a bus driverβone of societyβs most invisible workers. But he possessed real power, and he used it beautifully for our benefit.
When life feels especially grim, or when I feel particularly powerless in the face of the worldβs troubles, I think of this man and ask myself, What can I do, right now, to be the light? Of course, I canβt personally end all wars, or solve global warming, or transform vexing people into entirely different creatures. I definitely canβt control traffic. But I do have some influence on everyone I brush up against, even if we never speak or learn each otherβs name. How we behave matters because within human society everything is contagiousβsadness and anger, yes, but also patience and generosity. Which means we all have more influence than we realize.
No matter who you are, or where you are, or how mundane or tough your situation may seem, I believe you can illuminate your world. In fact, I believe this is the only way the world will ever be illuminatedβone bright act of grace at a time, all the way to the river.β
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