Comments on: What Hitchhiking Taught Me About Generosity

By: hitchhiking 101 for dummies | bethanyshaffer.com

hitchhiking 101 for dummies | bethanyshaffer.com — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:37:22 +0000

[...] bed of his truck, can look good, but use your best judgment. If you choose well, you can even make some great friends along the way! Hassan and his unnamed friend who took us through western [...]

By: Jean

Jean — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 05:09:39 +0000

Maya,
Good for you for trying to instill it in your children by example.

By: Maya

Maya — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:19:20 +0000

What a wonderful story Jean.

I cannot think of any story right now, but as a family we try to celebrate generosity and kindness – so hopefully our kids will carry this forward – one person at a time

Mayas last blog post..A Simple Happiness Equation: A Picture

By: Jean

Jean — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 06:03:18 +0000

rummuser,
What a neat experience for you! He clearly loved the time he spent in India.

EVA,
I promise not to tell your daughters. I never talked about my hitchhiking either. I get the impression it’s not nearly as safe now-a-days.

SpaceAgeSage,
I know what you mean…generosity can be life-changing, especially when it comes from strangers. It’s not that we don’t appreciate it when it’s from people we know, but we often feel the need to reciprocate, even if they don’t want that.

By: SpaceAgeSage

SpaceAgeSage — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:37:29 +0000

I've been on the receiving end of much generosity, including during travels outside my own country. It makes me feel warmed, renewed, and grateful. I'm thankful to have seen more of the brighter and better side of life than its underbelly. SpaceAgeSages last blog post..Myth, Supersition, or The Real Thing?

By: EVA

EVA — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:21:50 +0000

Hi Jean,

I used to hitchhike as a teenager – mostly around the city (don’t tell my daughters!). I always found people very nice. There were a few odd ones. Once or twice I just looked in the car and felt “nope” and said I’d forgotten something and walked away. Mostly very generous people.

A few years ago I came across this site http://hitch50.com/ as they were making their way across the country. The generousity of the people they met was amazing! Instead of seeing the worst of human nature through hitchhiking, I believe that they, like you, saw the best.

EVAs last blog post..Rhubarbolution!

By: rummuser

rummuser — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:31:55 +0000

Jean, I too had a great experience exactly on the same high way as you were on in Germany. I was not hitch hiking but being driven to Frankfurt from Dusseldorf by a friend. We stopped at a roadside inn for a coffee and I was accosted by a huge German who asked me if I was an Indian. When I confirmed that I was, he was full of the time that he spent in India and insisted on paying for our snack and coffee and since he wanted to talk more to me, he lifted me up into his cabin on a huge semi and drove me to the outskirts of Frankfurt. A total stranger but a truck driver who reached out and made me realize that what you see outside as being reserved is often a mask for some very warm feelings inside. rummusers last blog post..BlogCrash - Community Forum