Crossing the road in crowded parts of Bali is no small feat. Private car drivers sometimes need to help travellers like me cross the road. When they cross the road, the traffic just stops.
“They won’t hit you”, my driver tells me. But that’s hard to remember when you see non-stop traffic flowing endlessly.
I was standing for a long time waiting to cross one stretch of road and probably looked helpless.
This motorcyclist (wearing blue on left) was balancing a long object. He is the last person I would have expected to be of service to me. But he slowed down for me, slowing down all the traffic behind him, and beckoned me to cross the road with an encouraging look on his face. His patience, warmth and encouragement allowed me to cross what seemed like an impossible road.
He is a teacher for us and his example leads me to ask:
When can we serve others despite the burdens we carry?
How can we be the force of patience, warmth and encouragement to help someone cross a metaphorical impossible road?
By Vadivu Govind