I’m one who isn’t easily insulted, some sort of mai phen rai or no probs guy, but what happened today is something that is hard to forgive.
I just got home from Lotus where I had to buy some diapers for Kailee [or she would be messing the house], and I had to type this one right away just for the record. I took the bus home [2-3 km distance] and I came in contact with Thai culture on politeness, which surpasses Filipino standards. It was a lady in her mid-teens who offered a seat to me. That would be just fine for some but to me it was a great insult.
Did I really look senile? I know that at my age I still look like I can do 50 pushups or stand on the aisle of a speeding bus and not get tripped. I just couldn’t take the offer but I also didn’t want to rob her of her politeness. It’s good my bus stop came up fast enough, and I got off the moving bus carefully to avoid adding injury to the insult.
Maayo nalang kay the conductor didnt ask me for a senior citizen ID or I could have punched him on the nose.... heheheh.
ReplyDeletethe truth really does hurt. hahahah
ReplyDeleteview it from another angle: thais generally offer their seats to the following:
ReplyDelete1. senior citizens
2. pregnant women
3. children
4. the monks
pick one that suits you.
ps: if the condoctor did not ask for your fare, you'd be under #4.
hahahaha..... i'll settle for #4 coz at least my head will readily pass for one.
ReplyDeleteyeah, i agree.. that truly surpasses our pinoy standards, which has greatly gone down to utter discourtesy. May that be a challenge to our youth... May I use this as a sermon illustration>? Ptr Joey
ReplyDeleteSensitive mo naman. I still have to see the whole picture. Malay ko kung ilang packs ng diapers ang binili mo. Basig sa kadaghan, natabunan na imong nawong. Bisag kinsa malooy gyud.
ReplyDeleteHi Sunni,
ReplyDeleteLet me give you an "Aussie" perspective:
1st as Christians we are to be humble which is not the Aussie way
2nd pehaps the mirror you look in needs changing( Aussie humuor)
3rd I can tell you from being a little older that Aussie males always think they are still 21 and still think the brain is young, but as I still try to work manually as a 21yr old my aching body knows this to be untrue.
4th we have good days of looking and feeling like we are in our 30s but we have others like 60s but we are in our 50s. 5th we need to age gracefully and become the wisdom people.
Lastly it is only recent immigrants to this country that would give up a seat, Aussie youth less that 5% would do it.
What an evagelistic opportunity to strike up a coversation. Something that I came away from my 7 weeks in Thailand is other "People" come before any self actulisation, be a servant in any situation. I hope this finds you and your family healthy and well as our family is here in Aus. i cant wait to ride the buses ni Bangkok next year, and I will take the photo's.
God's richest blessings Gordon and family
By all means Pastor.... Give God all the glory!
ReplyDeleteThanks Gordon, we're all well by God's grace... and dont forget, my offer still stands... tour guide for you guys anywhere in Bangkok. Godbless.
ReplyDeletehahahah... you're right bro. let me give you the whole picture. In BKK when you board the bus the bus starts moving even when you're still at the steps, and if you have some bags with you, you need to do your juggling act while holding on to any part of the bus, clutching you precious cargo and digging into you pocket for your fare... and remember you've got only two hands. kau-oy jud ang tiguwang... sila dili ako.
ReplyDeletehahahah... you're right bro. let me give you the whole picture. In BKK when you board the bus it starts moving even when you're still at the steps, and if you have some bags with you, you need to do your juggling act which is holding on to any part of the bus, clutching your precious cargo and digging into your pocket for fare... and remember you've got only two hands. kalu-oy jud ang tiguwang... sila dili ako.
ReplyDeletePure Land Buddhism has a book published called Di Zi Gui. In English it means standards for being a good student and child. It is the guide to a happy life. For thousand of years, this book contained the recommended standards for students in China and other Asian Buddhist nations. In the book, it says"When an elder is standing, I will not sit. After an elder sits down, I sit only when I am told to do so."
ReplyDeleteI hope this is relevant here. By the way, Sun, on that very day you have given that girl rare moments of happiness by accepting her offer. You should have enjoyed the comfortable ride...;-)
you should see the seats in the green buses here in Bangkok. my legs just wont fit and a "comfortable ride" is the remotest reality.
ReplyDeleteWa, does the book Di Zo Gui have advice for the adults to stand and offer the seat to children under 10 who board the bus? That's what they practice here. in pinas the children are made to stand, the exact opposite.
That's interesting.
ReplyDeleteAs I've mentioned earlier, Di Zi Gui, a book of Confucius' teachings is a textbook written only for young students; that they learn moral principles and virtues first - before any other subjects. There's a strong belief that without these as a foundation, the learning of all other subjects is futile.
Now to your question - my limited understanding is that when an adult offers a seat to a child or a young girl to an elder, that action is simply an act of compassion which rewards the giver more than the recipient. Mind you, this is a very simple meritorious deed but gives enormous boost to one's well-being. Try offering your seat to an old man or a child and you can be addicted with its healing power...;-)
Cheers
Insulted! Again?
ReplyDeleteThis time it was less insulting and maybe next time I won’t get insulted as it is evolving into a fact of life for me. Or should I look more frequently on my reflection in the mirror so as to get used to my aging looks or better yet get some cosmetic surgery done at Yanhee. Whatever…
This morning I decided to attend church at Ekamai SDA church. I took the red # 60 government bus from Sanam Luang to Klongtan, which is quite some distance, and as usual the free bus was SRO or standing room only. Some minutes into the trip and someone taps me at the back. It is a long-haired guy in his mid-thirties, and he motions me to the seat that he just vacated. I thought that he was getting off at the next bus stop so I smile at him and take the seat. He didn’t get off and we ride in silence. I try to close my eyes coz to me the situation was embarrassing, but he was smug and comfortable standing with his hand holding the hand of the lady next to me, his wife.
Does Warren have an explanation for this, being an enlightened Buddhist that he is? If I only knew that he wasn’t getting off the bus I wouldn’t have accepted the offer out of sheer denial that I am not a senior citizen yet.
We get to the Kongtan bus stop and it is their stop too. I quickly get off the bus and he and his wife are at my heels. No matter how hard I try to walk tall and look young my mind just couldn’t shake off the reality of the incident.
Hey, be kind to yourself, man...;-)
ReplyDeleteI wonder how you can find it hard dealing all the good things happening your way.
Having read your blogs about all these unselfish missionary works you have done to the unforunates, it comes as no surprise to me that you will be smothered with
kindness from strangers or to put it in other perspective, you could be under the
protection of your good karma. Life's harms and dangers are in no way crossing
the paths of compassionate people who sowed meritorious acts.
It's a miracle! - other religions would call it when something good happens but in
fact it's the law of karma. THINK GOOD, DO GOOD - simple as that, and every good thing is coming your way. And the more you do it, the more it does to you.
Since you're in a Buddhist land, I'll let you in on a secret - a follower of
Buddhism will make it a mission on his daily walks to not miss an opportunity to
do a good deed to anyone needing his or her help, given the chance. In fact, some
of these truly devoteds have a target list of thousands of good deeds in a year.
It's no rocket science to figure out these are the happiest people on earth and
they don't even have a religion! What they have is a way of life.
Thanks Wa... I like your explanation pare, especially when you focus on the goodness of others and not on my stunning and dazzling looks, LOL. Yeah, there's a lot of truth to the fact that the good that you do will eventually end up in you, and that goes true for also the bad.
ReplyDelete"What goes up must come down..." just like the "spinning wheel" that you used to sing when we'd hang out under the pines with your guitar.
Thanks pal :-)
Pare, inasmuch as I'm in a constant stuggle not to indulge myself on my stunning and dazzling looks, the fixation tends to be that I could also easily overlook the pleasing and wholesome appearance of the likes of you. But you know very well between us two good-looking people, this is the unspoken, lest we earn the wrath and envy of those not so gifted...;-)
ReplyDeleteTito, oks lang yan...
ReplyDeleteI would do the same... lol. Baka the girl thinks your tired of walking or something... And what you experienced is far from what Stephen experienced in Acts. Forgive na!
hehehe... God Bless and advance merry Christmas!