My uplifting bus ride

My reluctant feet pulled me into the bus. I was in severe pain, exhausted from a lack of sleep and spaced out from the heavy meds to keep my discomforting palpitations at bay. 

An operatic voice echoed through the double decker bus.

I looked around searching for the pore raising source. It came from the driver’s seat.

As people boarded the bus, the driver thumped the dashboard rhythmically during the pause, and as he drove off again, the singing continued.

“Just amazing, isn’t he?” I heard a girl tell a mother rocking her baby.

Ohh…the driver just hit a falsetto note.

I then realised I was smiling. Still in pain and disoriented, but smiling.

The girl looked over at me with eyebrows as raised as mine. Then we burst into delightful laughter.

By then, I’d forgotten how exhausted I was. I walked off the bus with a huge smile.

The roll on effect

The experience affected the rest of my day.

Things have been tough lately on all fronts but I did feel lighter and stronger to take on whatever the day brought my way.

“You look like sunshine” said the girl in the cafe.

Once the ball gets rolling on noticing the positive, happy stuff, it keeps on for the day, even if threatened to be stopped by odd circumstances, inconsiderate people and just life.

At work and everyone smiled and complimented my dress. I was smiling a little more than usual. My friends told me I had the smile of a Cheshire cat.

Connecting with people and noticing beautiful things really helps one to establish a feeling of well being. It really helped to set the tone for my day as well. Not surprisingly, these two things are among the Five Ways to Wellbeing – health guidelines, researched by leading UK think tank promoting social, economic and environmental justice, New Economics Foundation (NEF).

Help for the road…

The Five Ways have been used to make a mobile app that people could use to care for their wellbeing on the go. Brilliant stuff it is!

In trying out the app for an article review I had to write, I realised that I practised some of the Five Ways already in my daily life, though not always open-mindedly.

A conscious effort made me realise the difference it makes to take notice of and appreciate the small beautiful events unfolding as this vast universe carries on. The rain drops, the giggling babies, exchanged smiles and yes, even singing bus drivers!

It’s evening and my face and fingers are still throbbing with pain. The meds have not yet kicked in and I’m dying for some sleep. Oh yeah, and the rip in my heart. Still there. But in thanks, I remember the small mercies and gifts of the day and they refuel my perseverance.

Give it a go – The Five Ways to Well being app  if you’re up for it, and look out for those singing bus drivers! 🙂

Gentle hugs my darlings x