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On a morning when the cold winds of winter were whispering around the corner, letting the citizens of Winnipeg  know that our beautiful summer had finally made her departure, the warmth of human-kindness was present on a city transit bus.

At the heart of downtown, near the famous intersection of Portage and Main, which also happens to be one of the windiest corners, the male transit driver suddenly pulled the bus over. To the surprise of the passengers, he disembarked and went over to a man walking on the sidewalk. Although the man initially appeared to be dressed appropriately for the temperature, which was between 5 and 7 C that morning, the passengers soon realized he was barefoot on the cold sidewalk.

At this point the transit driver did something that shocked the passengers – he took off his shoes and gave them to the barefoot man. When he re-boarded the bus, the driver explained to the passengers that he just couldn’t bear to see someone walking barefoot in such chilling temperatures.

The driver has been lauded for his generosity by the executive director of a local mission that caters to the homeless, as well as by the director of Winnipeg Transit. Public opinion has been overwhelmingly in favour of the driver’s selfless gesture.

Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away … a time to pause and reflect upon the blessings we have in our lives. Perhaps before we reach that day we each can make one small gesture of kindness that will brighten the life of a stranger, just as this Good Samaritan in a Transit Driver’s uniform did. How many expressions of gratitude would there be this Thanksgiving if we did?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2012/09/18/mb-winnipeg-transit-driver-shoes.html

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