On The Train to Somewhere

I was riding the T today and witnessed a few teenagers approach a woman who looked to be in her late twenties.  They asked, “Is this the train to Park Street?”  Like many in Boston, they were trying to find their way around the city.

“Is this going Inbound or Outbound?”  What a good question.

I watched the woman kindly respond that she was pretty sure they needed to go to the other side of the station and go Inbound.  She led the way up the stairs and over to the other side…they eagerly followed.

I had a contemplative moment as I realized that it still surprised me when others were willing to go to great lengths to help perfect strangers get to their destination.  Perhaps they came in touch with the feeling they once experienced – the feeling of being unsure.  Feeling lost.  Not sure if they’re headed Inbound or Outbound.  Wondering if, like the train system, it’s all relative to one central point…but you don’t know what that is.

When the woman came back and sat down next to me, I told her it was really kind of her to go to all that effort.  She repeated that she wasn’t totally sure, but she thought that was the way.  I was still glowing in the amazement that she was so nice.  At the same time I realized I was confused.  Why would she go all that way if she wasn’t sure.  Why didn’t she ask someone else.  Why did the girls follow readily?  I wondered why I didn’t volunteer to tell her that she was in fact correct – I knew for sure.

It struck me that there was something of how we do life in this story… even when we have a clear destination (which finding that is a whole other story!), we ask others if we are on the right “track”.  Those we ask may not know for sure, but oftentimes are willing to lead us as far as they are aware.  Others will sit by and see our struggle, but not chime in.  Today that was me.  Tomorrow, I may be the one wondering if I’m headed inbound or outbound in this life.

~ by Priscilla Goodman on August 18, 2008.