Have a favorite book? Any old ones piling up at home? Leave it on a bus with a note letting the finder know you hope they find some enjoyment from reading it. Encourage them to pass it on by leaving it on a bus when they’re done reading it. This is great for trains and connecting flights on planes too.
Being away on deployment is hard. It’s hard work and dangerous. And you’re away from loved ones. Sometimes, the hours can drag on. Send some books or DVDs to some soldiers on deployment. Keep it light and funny or something inspirational. You can learn more from Books for Soldiers.
Riding the bus sucks sometimes. People are tired, you’ve got some crazies on there, and it can get really crowded. Have something you don’t really use at home? Leave it with a nice note on the bus. I wouldn’t advice wrapping it up or putting it in a bag or box. People might freak out finding a random package on a bus these days. Some thoughtful gift ideas: books, headphones, ear plugs, scarf, and umbrella. You get the point.
I heard a beautiful perspective from a cabbie once in Las Vegas. Yes, Las Vegas cabbies are very helpful and nice. He told me that he never got upset when someone cut him off because his perspective was that if they were able to get in front of him safely, then they had every right to get in front of him. Perhaps that cabbie was a bit more evolved than a lot of those road ragers out there but that conversation always stuck with me. A study once showed that in a 60-80 minute commute constant lane-changing only saves you only 2-4 minutes. So take a deep breath, relax, and let someone merge in front of you without getting upset. You’re not going to gain much by speeding up and keeping them from merging and you’ll help reduce to the overall stress horrendous traffic brings.
“Please, why don’t you go ahead of me? You only have a couple of items.” Isn’t it great when someone does that for you? Return the favor the next time you’re at the supermarket and have a full cart.