The double ticket lesson

Many times, certain actions of others become lifelong messages and leave an indelible effect on our minds. Many years ago, one such incident happened in my life when I was posted in another town and used to commute by public transport. There was no direct bus to my workplace, and I had to change the buses roughly in the middle of my journey. One of my senior colleagues also used to board the bus from that stop. He was reticent, so there was not much communication between us despite meeting and travelling together almost every day in the same bus.

One day, while I was waiting for the bus, I saw my senior and greeted him. As usual, he smiled and nodded silently. In the meantime, our bus arrived, and we both boarded it. He got a seat in front of mine, and we silently started our journey. When the bus conductor came, he asked for two tickets. I put my hand on my senior's shoulder and said, “Sir, I will purchase mine.”

“Yes, you have to. I am not going to pay for you,” he replied. I was surprised not only at his bluntness but also at why he had paid for two passengers when there was no one with him.

After some time, we reached our destination. Our college was near the bus stand, and we used to walk there. As I was very curious to know the reason for his double payment, I began a conversation. He was hesitant at first, but when I stressed, he told me, “Actually, I was tired yesterday. After boarding the bus, I dozed off and didn't notice when the conductor passed me. After getting off the bus, I realised that I had travelled without a ticket. I remained restless the whole day, and this double payment was an attempt to rectify my mistake of yesterday.”

I was speechless and astonished at this revelation. If he had ignored his fault, there would have been nobody to accuse him. But it was his integrity that made him buy two tickets. His action taught me that honesty also means developing a practice of speaking truth throughout life. There is no doubt that honesty and other small acts of goodness bring peace, joy, and comfort not only to the practitioner but also to fellow human beings.

This incident taught me a very important lesson: no one becomes a saint overnight. Rather, it is an accumulation of good acts here and there that paves the way for the flourishing of goodness within us. The practice of moral values helps perfect a good life, and a good life encourages the realisation of ethics everywhere and every day.