When was the last time you did something kind? Even more, when was the last time you did something kind for kindness’ sake?
On Dec. 30, Ottawa finally received the first major snowstorm of the winter, with over 20 cm of snow. The same day, a video of OC Transpo driver Carlo DiFelice captures him helping passengers make their way over a snowbank between the sidewalk and the bus. The video has received over 1,000,000 views, and was aired on national news.
OC Transpo tweeted that the driver will be receiving an official commendation, and a commenter on the video wrote that the driver single-handedly “restored [their] faith in humanity.”
It’s heartwarming to hear DiFelice will receive recognition for his actions, but also kind of unsettling. What kind of world do we live in when a simple act of kindness gets so much attention?
It is astonishing how many people have commented on numerous articles relating to this event asking why they didn’t have articles written about themselves for the kind acts they’ve committed. DiFelice is the exception. Despite all of the attention he is receiving, the driver remains modest. According to the Ottawa Citizen, DiFelice was quoted saying, “I’m just doing my job.”
If more people considered being kind to others as part of their job, or even part of being a citizen, maybe they wouldn’t be met with such a strong reaction.
Are acts of this nature so rare that they must be recognized? DiFelice should receive recognition for his good deed, but others should follow his example without expecting the same acclaim that DiFelice received.
Doing something nice for someone is a reward in itself, and needs no recognition. If more people in this world had as much motivation to act kindly for the sake of acting kind, then it wouldn’t seem so random—and it shouldn’t.
It’s great for Ottawa that a video of one of our city bus drivers aired across the country, but perhaps it would be even better if anyone going the extra mile to help other people out wasn’t considered so nationally newsworthy.
Likely, the justification for putting the video on the news is the positive effect it could have on viewers. We all know the surge of inspiration and kindness that comes after witnessing a kind deed. It’s the sort of feeling that makes you want to participate in the same kind of act as the one you saw.
The attention DiFelice’s modest act of kindness received could serve as inspiration for others in Ottawa, especially as we get further into the season of winter. More Ottawans could be helping their neighbours shovel their walkway, or start their car when the cold kills the battery.
But even if it isn’t such an unsettling event, I’m still not convinced that it is newsworthy.
Good deeds should be committed because they can make a positive difference—not because they’re inspired by a simple act that the news has turned into a decorated deed. If we became more accustomed to noticing and appreciating these simple acts in our daily lives by thanking others, and really striving to be helpful even to strangers, they wouldn’t seem so rare. I would think DiFelice would agree.
According to the Ottawa Citizen, DiFelice states after reflecting on all the other commendable acts he’d seen that day, “It was my turn to help. Just like everybody else.”
DiFelice deserves recognition for his good deed, but more importantly, he should be recognized for his modesty when the public glorified his actions. Had his good deed not been publicized he still would have made many passengers’ days, and likely prevented at least a couple OC Transpo customers from arriving at their destinations with soggy socks.
So next time you think about engaging in a kind deed, seize the moment not for publicity sake, but for increasing the quality of someone else’s day, as well as your own.
