'No shame in hard work': Muddied worker sat on bus floor to avoid dirtying seat until the driver intervened

Sometimes, the random acts of kindness can change the way someone sees themselves. In Qingdao, Shandong Province, one bus driver’s compassion reminded a construction worker that there is pride in hard work. In a moment, the first shared on Douyin and later picked up on Instagram by @brightworldsnews, viewed more than 515,000 times, a construction worker boarded a bus while covered in mud from a long day’s work. Embarrassed about dirtying the seats, he chose to sit on the floor instead, but as he settled on the floor, the female bus driver called out gently, saying, "Sir, there's a seat. You can sit there."

The man shook his head and replied, "I'm dirty. I will just sit here." Seeing his discomfort, the driver didn’t let the exchange end there. She got out of her seat, encouraged him again, and persuaded him to take a proper seat. Not long after, she brought him bread and yogurt. Still hesitant, he said, "But I am dirty." She replied with words that left an impression on him, "Doesn't matter. No shame in hard work, only pride." Before getting off, the worker smiled, gave her a thumbs-up, and walked away. A few days later, he came back with a handwritten note addressed to her. 

In it, he wrote, "I'm a construction worker covered in mud, but you helped me stop feeling ashamed. In a place far from home, you gave me warmth like family. You made me believe that there's pride in hard work." One line from the bus driver made the construction driver feel seen and inculcated a sense of pride in what he does, something that psychologists have found matters more than people realize. A 2021 meta-analysis of 18 studies, published in the European Journal of Psychology, showed a strong negative link between shame and self-esteem. The researchers found that when people feel shame, they often withdraw or hide, exactly as the worker did. By treating him with dignity, the driver interrupted that cycle and gave him a reason to see value in his work.

The story hit home for the viewers, who praised both the worker’s humility and the driver’s kindness. @nickxplore commented, "Absolutely wonderful of her! Poor guy, 'I don't want to dirty the seat.' He wants to be in nobody's way whatsoever. Protect him at all costs!" @khun_dannn added, "I don't care if my daughter is only a bus driver, but I want my daughter to be like her." @christinescarlettaiden wrote, "She is AMAZING!! Love her! No shame in hard work for sure! He deserves the same as anyone, and she sees it! Awwww, gave him food too, sweetheart. You are an angel."

@faces.migz said, "This made me very emotional. Reminding me of the love, generosity, and genuine kindness I experienced while living in China. I hold onto hope that I will visit again. Now, I feel an emptiness since having left." @bondan_ardi penned, "That lady is the definition of wealth and compassion. As wealth is not what you can afford to earn and keep, but what you can afford to give. She gave her bread, yoghurt, time, attention, and caring." @tinge_of_red chimed in, "This is how the world should be. It really isn't hard to be nice and show kindness."

You can follow @brightworldsnews on Instagram for more such stories.

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