Stranger Kindness And The Power It Has
©Exploramum and Explorason – Early start to the day as we head to Panama City
What Exactly Is Stranger Kindness?
©Exploramum and Explorason – Boat ride in a water taxi leaves this dock to Boca Chica
Our Day Begins
We have a bit of a late start because my seven-year-old wants to watch a movie on the computer. He has no interest in packing up, but then that’s often the case with kids. I ask him to write a page of his journal instead. Hmm – no fun.
©Exploramum and Explorason – This is the jetty area at Boca Chica
Hitting The Road
We finally hit the road – well actually, first it is a water taxi, then it’s the road.
Once we get to Boca Chica we walk up the hill and wait for the minivan. We wait and wait. My son enjoys a bit of time on the playground – until girls come and he decides he’s had enough.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Boca Chica playground where my son plays whilst I wait for the transportation
Just as we finally take off we see an express bus pop out of nowhere and whizz by. It is now 10.30 am and I am super frustrated.
©Exploramum and Explorason – local houses in Panama. the use branches as fence posts that often grow into trees.
No Bus Will Stop For Us
We wind along the road and it doesn’t stop where the last minivan did on the way in. I stress out as it passes the poor local houses.
It gets us to the main road. We are supposed to try to stop the big buses that come by hourly and we can go either way – either back to David to the Bus Terminal and get on an express, or flag down a bus heading to Panama.
Darn – as we unload our bags one of the big whizzes by.
©Exploramum and Explorason – roadside toilet
Its taken so long to get this far that now have to go to the bathroom. I head over and it is just revolting. Oh well – one to add to my Toilet Blogs!
Here we wait for minivans, buses, and coaches all whizz by and they don’t stop.
Now it is heading towards lunchtime, and I have a hungry and frustrated child and no one to help me. We are now running out of drinking water too, so this is getting to be quite a concern. It is hot and near the middle of the day.
©Exploramum and Explorason – The driver who shows us stranger kindness
Stranger Kindness Arrives
Suddenly, along comes an Italian passenger with his driver Lauren is from Canada. They have a chat and the Italian gives up his seat in the car!
This Italian stranger hops out of the car so we can hop in. The Canadian lady loads up the back of the car with our bags and in we get.
Her kindness saved our day! They tell us they will drive us to whichever destination we need and I am amazed. It is like angels have appeared to help us.
What This Stranger Kindness Does
I think it is important now to understand that these people went out of their way to help a mother and child. They did not have to, neither did we even ask them to stop.
But they changed our day.
These people helped someone out of a problem and helped us resolve a difficult situation. It helped a child and a mother.
But inside them, it made them feel good. For they had touched the lives of strangers with their kindness.
©Exploramum and Explorason – Coach from David to Panama
Arriving At David
©Exploramum and Explorason – Food seller outside the bus terminal
Eating Healthy
It is hard when traveling to be healthy eaters, but we do try. I manage at the bus terminal to stock up on food for the trip. This guy is peeling oranges with a handheld twisting machine – he sells them for $1 a bag. I buy oranges and also stock up on a tub of strawberries, and iced coconut.
A Long Trip
The trip ends up taking nearly 8 hours. Finally, we arrived at Panama City bus terminal which is massive. We have booked a hotel but we can’t find a taxi but then a lady appears with a special hotel deal. Three other of our coach travelers also take her up on the offer and so I decide it is safe and off we head together.
Dinner With A New Friend
We end up having a lovely dinner in the restaurant with a fellow traveler and make a new friend.
So, we head to our room. The headboard is floor tiles and so are the side tables. But my son is happy as it has USA TV channels in ENGLISH!
Help a Stranger
We would not have managed to get on that bus or to have been at this hotel if it had not been for the kindness of a stranger.
IN a world that feels unsafe, take a moment to try and look out for fellow travelers. You might just make their day with your stranger kindness!
Questions and Comments
- Have you performed the act of ‘stranger kindness’?
- What did you do that helped them?
- How did you feel when you did that?
- Please tell us in the comments below.
