Really tired toddler on the metro

This title could clearly indicate a recipe for disaster on the evening metro ride home, but nothing could be further from the truth.

I love seeing little ones on the metro. Usually they are SOOOO excited to be on a moving vehicle that little giggles & shrieks just fill the air. Not everyone shares my enlightened views on this subject, but usually the iphones are blaring so loud, that those of a different opinion probably couldn't hear anything anyway...but I digress!

So when I got on the metro after a quick stop at the local Giant, there was a mom with her 2 year old son. He was clearly not having a good time. After about 5 minutes of watching her attempt to calm him and get him interested in anything that would quiet him down, I went over & tried to talk to the little boy...I wanted to try & be a distraction and they were Spanish...I love speaking Spanish cuando tengo una opportunidad, por supuesto!

I struck out completely. The little kid was not impressed -- not even a little! The mom, however, was at least grateful for my efforts and told me that her son was just overtired. After my defeat, the woman across the aisle offered a little smurf figurine to try & calm the little boy. That was also unsuccessful! Then finally, the wisest woman on the metro car came up and she was prepared. She had BUBBLES!

It was magical...the bubbles worked almost instantly in calming this little boy down. We were about 3 minutes from the stop where most of us got off the train. As the bubbles were floating around the metro, the giggles and the smiles came from not just the toddler, but from all of us in the car. It was one of those few fleeting moments where communities are formed...all in the effort to help this mom calm her little son.

The feelings of good will really warmed my heart as I hope they did for all on our metro ride home tonight. When there are so many stories popping up in local news outlets across the country about restaurants and stores having "child free" hours, it was a nice contrast to see how human hearts really don't like to witness suffering or discomfort -- so much so that they go out of their way to alleviate the pain.

Just a little hope in a little story of joy about strangers on a metro and the calming power of Bubbles :)