Seeing a commuter give up a bus or MRT seat to someone in need is always heartwarming.
But it’s even more so when it comes out of an inherent kindness rather than an obligation because a person is visibly old, handicapped, injured or pregnant.
A Singaporean lady offered her MRT seat to a construction worker who had given his up to an aunty, and netizens won’t stop commending her kindness.
Here’s why she did what she did.
The lady, who goes by the name Regina, was on the MRT on Wednesday (17 July).
She noticed an Indian man wearing construction boots sitting across the aisle with an empty seat next to him, and thought nothing of it until an old lady entered the carriage.
Instead of taking the empty seat, the elderly aunty simply hovered nearby, seemingly “reluctant to sit down”.
According to Regina, the aunty appeared to exchange glances with the man as though signalling that he had to stand before she could sit.
Shortly after that observation, the man really did stand up and the aunty took his seat while giving him a disapproving look.
Saddened by what had unfolded, Regina immediately got up and offered her seat to the man instead. She then sat in the empty seat next to the aunty.
She reasoned that since everyone pays transportation fares, we all deserve an equal chance at a seat.
While we can’t be sure that any racial discrimination was involved or if it was just a generational gap issue, Regina does raise a good point about being considerate towards everyone.
Her gesture moved many netizens, who crowded her comments section with endless praises.
Some even commended her courage in doing what she felt was right without hesitation.
Clearly, Singaporeans are more than welcoming of her generosity, which is a promising indication of our gracious society.
As in any social interaction we make, we should always remember to treat others with the same amount of kindness we wish to receive.
That’s the message Regina hopes to spread by sharing her experience, hoping that a little will go a long way towards making the world a better place.
The world is stressful enough as it is, so let’s be kind to each other.
Featured image from Facebook and SGTrains.
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