Stories of Kindness from Around the World

On my trip to Berlin last week, the train suddenly stopped. After a couple of minutes, one of the attendants, visibly shaken, told us that somebody had committed suicide by standing in front of the train.

After a couple of moments to allow space for my own sorrow, I got up and went to the attendants' cab to offer support, as a professional trained to deal with traumatized people. I was thinking of the train driver who'd basically run over the 'victim'.

They told me they really appreciated my offer, but that the train company had specialists for such cases and that they were checking to see whether the driver would get relieved of duty for the remainder of the journey.

But for the moment, and some two hours more, the train just stood there while paramedics, police, and train company disaster management arrived and did their job.

I found that I felt bogged down by sorrow and a heaviness, so I got up to move around. Passing by a cabin where a beautiful dog was lying on the floor, I stopped to chat-- to the dog, at first: "Hi there, I feel very sad because something terrible just happened and I'm thinking that stroking you will help me feel better. May I?" and I looked at the owner.

In this way, we started talking a bit about what had happened, all the while stroking and commenting about the dog (an Australian shepherd/Labrador mix with a temperament of the later). All of that really did relieve my distress.

After returning to my coach, I noticed a woman who kept getting up and looking through the window at the place on the tracks (way behind us) where the remainders of the suicide 'victim' were lying. It looked like she'd gotten bogged down in a mire, too.

So after some time, I got up and chatted her up. The funny thing was, she also had a dog with her, with a collar and leash she'd sown herself. I tried to lighten up her mood a bit by listening to her thoughts on the incident, and then talking about her dog. Don't know if it worked for her, but it felt good to me.

It turned out our engine had been damaged and we needed to switch trains. Everybody hurried to leave the old train and to find a place on the new one, which was already quite full. I stayed behind and took my time, and helped a group of elderly passengers with their luggage. I had no trouble finding a seat on the new train.

As we continued on our way, I was really very grateful for this incident. Once again, I learned that opening my heart to whatever feelings arise and then going with my instincts has a healing effect. Not telling myself I was stupid to grieve over an unknown person's death, but to allow space for that grief, turned my heart open and soft.

In a way, I'm really grateful for this gift that this person shared with me in the aftermath of his or her passing.