At a Bus Stop with Popcorn

--by takuhi, posted Oct 27, 2012

I was living in São Paulo, Brazil.

It is a HUGE city, with more people living in it than in my whole country (Hungary, which has a population of 10 million). We rented a flat in a gated community, but there was a favela (shanty town) quite near.

For several months I didn't have a car, so three times a week, I used public transportation to go to the city centre. During these trips, I would ride with the people who took the same bus from the favela to go to work.

When I got on the bus, all the seats were already taken. But when people saw that my bag was heavy (full of books), they offered to hold it in their lap, to make me feel lighter standing. At first, I was shocked. Then I realized that these people had absolutely no intention to steal from me: they only wanted to help.

Once, on my way back, I had to wait for a long time at a bus stop. I was alone, except for a woman who was apparently very poor. She carried a small paper bag of popcorn and nothing else.

While we were waiting, she walked over and offered me some popcorn. I thanked her, but didn't want to help myself to it. She then repeatedly insisted that I take from what was evidently her only food.

That was the first time I thought about how people who have almost nothing, are sometimes able to share the little they have so much more "easily" than those who own a lot. I wonder if it's true that the more you have, the bigger the burden, and the difficulty to share anything with others.

I was so moved by that woman's simple generosity that day. I clearly had more than she did, but she naturally and joyfully shared what little she had with me nevertheless.

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Posted by takuhi
Oct 27, 2012
Comments (18)

Readers Comments

joy wrote: We should learn to appreciate what we already have because in truth and in fact most of the time, we are a lot luckier than some people.

thaata wrote: These people are poor by their pockets by rich by their heart. A hurt or pained soul understands the pain or hurt of another and connects very easily.

jsmc10 wrote: It really does make you think about how much you are grateful for, bless this woman :)

Blessed2BKind wrote: It means so much when you accept a kind gesture a blessing for both you and the giver. Thanks for sharing :)

tanzeel wrote: Sharing things with other people bring happiness and lots of blessing:)

cf wrote: In the years that i've been living with little money i've encountered a lot of generosity, from all kinds of people. Amazingly, those who have little easily gave things away completely for free. While people whom i knew to be very affluent chose to share what they have by means of a loan or an investment (vouchers for eg). Sometimes i thought it odd indeed that they didn't seem inclined to simply give things away. One friend told me: "if i simply give it to you, i'll only reinforce your belief that you can't do it by yourself. " the inspiration to share my wealth, be it talent, knowledge, food,. W/ people has come from what i was given as present, no strings attached. Those gifts made me want to grow so much until i myself would be able to act so generously. The loans and investments were helpful, but didn't inspire me in the least, on the contrary, they created (at least for the loan) a fearful sense of obligation. As for the popcorn, it's a joy to share food with people and a great way to create a - albeit tiny - connection that ducks beneath all the mindfuck which often crops up in conversations. Thanks for sharing the story. Oh, and as for me, i realized that sharing the little i had made me feel rich!

Shirley Marsh wrote: Maybe people who have a little find it easier to share because they understand from experience what it is to have so little. Their souls have not been contaminated with greed and the addiction to having more! How can people build homes massive enough to be hotels, buy boats and cars and other luxuries by the shipload when half the world is dying of starvation? Is it because they have simply never experienced poverty and need?

Jaffer wrote: I have come across this attitude of sharing in many developing countries among people who are quite poor. In richer, western countries such sharing of lunches and snacks is not very common. I completely agree with shirley marsh.

Harri wrote: Thanks so much for sharing. I've often found that people who have so little are the most generous. When i went to cuba at the age of 18, i had never seen poverty and i was blown away at how easily people who had nothing would share everything. We could all use a little more generosity in our lives. Thank you for reminding me of it. Peace x

jerryw wrote: Thanks for sharing that story, awesome

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