Shanghai used to be ruthless to the point that living here often made you pushy. The competition for space --and everything in it, in fact- was such, that pushing to go into a train, or skipping a line, were not considered rudeness. Just necessity, I guess.
In the past few years, I have had the marvelous privilege of coming here every few months. It's allowed me to see a city I know and love --and its dwellers-evolve in ways that I had not thought possible. It could even be said that Shanghai has reached a point of civility that I didn't think it had the potential for when I lived here.
My day yesterday started with an incredibly thoughtful gift from someone who had already given me the priceless gift of her beautiful art, work ethics, laughter and passion. And who reminded me -more than once- that when someone offers you a present, you just say "thank you" and accept gracefully.
The positive energy may have set the tone for the rest of the day, as when we both got into a crowded metro pulling two suitcases, we were immediately offered seats. And note that this train was so crowded, that a few stops later the same women who had let me have a seat, could not get off the coach at their own station. (Rather than get angry, they laughed. True story!)
Accept gracefully and say "thank you".
When it was my turn to check out of the hotel and drag my own luggage and find a taxi, a man saw me and offered the one that had just pulled over for him. I cannot begin to describe the magnitude of this gesture in a city where you can get old waiting for a taxi. Seriously.
Accept gracefully and say "thank you".
The driver got off the car to help me put my stuff in the trunk. Another miracle, as this healthy habit has become more and more rare in cabbies in Shanghai.
Accept gracefully and say "thank you".
When we were a few hundred metres from my destination, the driver took a left when he should have turned right. When I let him know, he apologised and turned off the metre! I repeated this was not necessary, but he said "sorry" once more and the metre stayed off for the rest of the journey.
Accept gracefully and say "thank you". And tip accordingly.
As I was getting off the taxi, a guy who was going into the lift, turned back on his steps to hold the door open for me.
I was brought up to believe that this is the norm. I then grew up to learn that it isn't. Not necessarily because people are rude or selfish. We're just too caught in our own thoughts or goal at hand, and noticing the needs of those around us is not so obvious or natural any more. Let alone the notion that we all make peace together, one positive action at a time.
If we only untangled ourselves from our phones, musings, immediate goals... we might stop being surprised at a chain of random acts of kindness.
My day was beautiful. I felt doubly responsible to make someone else's journey through it easier or better. Kindness is incredibly contagious and I feel like starting a positive revolution, right now.
