“A brown paper bag full of fresh picked flowers!”
Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings and experiences. It’s a form of emotional intelligence that can help build strong relationships.
Attributes of empathy Taking another person’s perspective, Staying out of judgment, Recognizing emotion in another person, and Communicating the understanding of another person’s emotions
Compassionate empathy
Compassionate empathy is considered
THE MOST POWERFUL FORM OF EMPATHY.
It combines compassion and empathy.
Benefits of empathy
Helps build strong relationships
Can make you a better friend, family member, coworker & TRANSIT BUS DRIVER!
Pulling up to a bus stop near a local shelter, The Flowerman 
immediately recognizes a homeless veteran from a war fought years ago waiting to ride the Love Bus. Shaking his head in disbelief, seeing the walker he pushes overflowing with his worldly possessions. Stacked within was a clear garbage bag full of clothes, a construction level, books, and his tent-in-a-bag. Shaking his head because The Flowermanknows he will be bending the rules just a little and allow him passage saying as the front service bay doors open “good morning R_ _ _ , welcome aboard.”
immediately recognizes a homeless veteran from a war fought years ago waiting to ride the Love Bus. Shaking his head in disbelief, seeing the walker he pushes overflowing with his worldly possessions. Stacked within was a clear garbage bag full of clothes, a construction level, books, and his tent-in-a-bag. Shaking his head because The Flowermanknows he will be bending the rules just a little and allow him passage saying as the front service bay doors open “good morning R_ _ _ , welcome aboard.”After a few kilometres travelled, The Flowerman sees in his rear view mirror R_ _ _ lifting up some side facing seats, moving his overflowing walker between a vertical grab pole, bus wheel housing and void left behind from the lifted seats. Thinking he’s got his load well secured
sees in his rear view mirror R_ _ _ lifting up some side facing seats, moving his overflowing walker between a vertical grab pole, bus wheel housing and void left behind from the lifted seats. Thinking he’s got his load well securedR_ _ _ then quickly abandons his load and scurries up the stairs and takes a forward position seat in the back row.
Shaking his head in disbelief again ( Lol), The Flowerman pulls the Love Bus out of traffic, secures his bus, steps out from the driver’s seat to approach R_ _ _ to explain The Flowerman’s rules while riding with personal possessions. “R_ _ _ , you’re taking advantage of The Flowerman’s kindness. You can’t abandon your personal possessions, you can’t leave them unattended while you take a comfortable forward facing seat in the back row, relax and enjoy the view. That’s not how this works.”
pulls the Love Bus out of traffic, secures his bus, steps out from the driver’s seat to approach R_ _ _ to explain The Flowerman’s rules while riding with personal possessions. “R_ _ _ , you’re taking advantage of The Flowerman’s kindness. You can’t abandon your personal possessions, you can’t leave them unattended while you take a comfortable forward facing seat in the back row, relax and enjoy the view. That’s not how this works.”R_ _ _ asks why. “Because if the bus came to a sudden stop, you’re responsible for it, you must hold on to it at all times. You can’t leave it unattended.” After a gentle scolding R_ _ _ offers “sorry Flowerman, it won’t happen again.”
, it won’t happen again.”One of the most frustrating things about driving a transit bus are false stop requests. This is when the stop request bell rings, the stop request light flashes on the dashboard instructing the driver to move out of traffic, come to a complete stop and open the service bay doors yet NOBODY MOVES (Grrrrrrr). With R_ _ _ back sitting beside his overflowing walker, The Flowerman had a theory. What could be causing the false stop requests? Parked at the “false stop” bus stop, The Flowerman secures his bus one more time, steps out from the driver’s seat, walks down to inspect the position of R_ _ _ ‘s possessions. As suspected, with the side facing seats in the upright position they reveal a large flat “stop request” pad on the underside of the seat as a convenient way for a passenger with disabilities to reach and press. “R_ _ _ , (shaking his head once again) your ‘tent-in-a-bag’ has been pushing the stop request pad. Sorry it’s your ‘tent-in-a-bag’ that’s going to have to leave the bus now!” R_ _ _ laughs, we all had a good laugh. “Sorry Flowerman , it won’t happen again.” Another passenger calls out “well played Flowerman ”
had a theory. What could be causing the false stop requests? Parked at the “false stop” bus stop, The Flowerman secures his bus one more time, steps out from the driver’s seat, walks down to inspect the position of R_ _ _ ‘s possessions. As suspected, with the side facing seats in the upright position they reveal a large flat “stop request” pad on the underside of the seat as a convenient way for a passenger with disabilities to reach and press. “R_ _ _ , (shaking his head once again) your ‘tent-in-a-bag’ has been pushing the stop request pad. Sorry it’s your ‘tent-in-a-bag’ that’s going to have to leave the bus now!” R_ _ _ laughs, we all had a good laugh. “Sorry Flowerman , it won’t happen again.” Another passenger calls out “well played Flowerman ”Towards the end of a very long shift The Flowerman shakes his head again as he sees R_ _ _ waiting at the next bus stop with his overstuffed walker. Opening the front service bay doors with finger on the deploy ramp button ready to accept him as a passenger, R_ _ _ says to The Flowerman ”no ride needed this time. What’s in this brown paper bag is for you. It’s to thank you for your kindness.”
shakes his head again as he sees R_ _ _ waiting at the next bus stop with his overstuffed walker. Opening the front service bay doors with finger on the deploy ramp button ready to accept him as a passenger, R_ _ _ says to The Flowerman ”no ride needed this time. What’s in this brown paper bag is for you. It’s to thank you for your kindness.”“A brown paper bag full of fresh picked flowers!”
Stay tuned!
The Flowerman
Practicing COMPASSIONATE EMPATHY in action!
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