3 HOW CONSIDERATE ARE YOU?

Last night as I sat on the train with a colleague and was struck by a sight that had me asking myself, how considerate are you?' 

Two elderly Asian women sat on the two-seater facing forward, the direction of the train travels. In the front of where they sat a little off to the right was a three seater. It is the two bags poised on three seater occupying two seats that snatched my attention. They occupied two seats with their bags while they occupied another two seats with their bodies. Throughout the train ride I observed as people boarded and exited along the route. At no point either of these women made an attempt to remove their bags so passengers could sit down. I thought 'wow, that's really discourteous.' Which begged the self-reflective question, "Am I that obtusely discourteous?" 

Earlier that morning on the train on my commute into work I saw a young mother had her young child standing on the seat beside her. Outside was slightly damp and more than likely the seat would be as well from his boots. Now once they exit someone unknowing will sit on that now wet seat. Not a pleasant experience especially considering one have no way of knowing what dampness is.

I like to think that I am not delieberately obtuse to the flight of others. But, who knows for sure? Perhaps there are times in my humanness when I am intently focused inward and unaware I may unintentionally discourteous.

These observations did serve to make me more mindful about being more aware of my surroundings and myself.

How about you. How considerate are you?