Keeping irritations in perspective
It was about 4pm and the bus was full of youngsters coming home from school. Some bright spark obviously thought it was fun to keep ringing the bell for getting off. As the journey progressed to the terminus all of the youngsters did get off and a few weary adults were left to the final stop. One passenger paused and said to the driver “I don’t know how you put up with that” and the driver responded “It’s my job.. and there are worse things”.
I was reminded of this exchange when listening to a discussion with a director of an international bus group. She was asked what kinds of annoying things passengers do. She very diplomatically sidestepped the question but did say that the purpose of their business is to get people from a to b on schedule so holding up the progress of a bus is only ever a last resort.
The driver obviously had the option of leaving his cab and challenging the youngsters – or putting up with it and getting us all to our destinations on time – and he chose the latter.
All of us will have irritations in our working lives ( or in our lives in general!) and being able to keep them in perspective is the challenge. Having a clear idea of the bigger picture – what is expected of you at work and how that fits with the business purpose – surely helps as a marker.
I imagine the bus driver might also quite enjoy it. He sees youngsters come and go. They grow up. Watching kids grow up is one the beautiful things in life.
He might (possibly) have felt he had to sound tired in his reply because he is usually roundly mocked (or worse) for enjoying the pastoral side of his job.
On my part, I would like kids in my family to travel his bus because he sounds as if he might also be the sort of person who knows when behavior has gone beyond ‘playful puppy’ and to intervene diplomatically.
So to your list I would add this
+ willingness to engage at a human level in country that manages itself with superciliousness & cold transactions (OK I know Scots are a lot more engaging)
+ some energy to be the sunshine that may be missing in someone else’ life
+ some friends who will put their arms around you when your day has worn you out