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Story · Ajahn Brahm

Eye shade for a stranger at Changi

As told by Ajahn Brahm in How to Keep Giving Without Reward | Ajahn Brahm | 02-05-2014

1 min read

The story — as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

I was going through Changi Airport and saw this Western woman, she was trying to get some sleep on one of the benches and she was moving out all over the place because she'd obviously done an overnight flight and it was in the middle of the day and so busy, she couldn't get any sleep. And I carry all these —what's it called—eye shades because I get these eye shades, I use them for meditation retreats so people can actually meditate and not see things. I had one in my pocket so I... I'd never seen this girl before in my life, and I said, "You're having a hard time sleeping; try one of these." I just remember the look on her face: it was astounded. What? Someone's being kind to me? I don't even know them. And I gave it to her and said, "Have a nice sleep," and walked away. And I know that I made that woman's... certainly her day maybe her week, her month. Simple thing like that just means so much in this world

▶ Watch Ajahn Brahm tell it from 42:36 (to 43:32)

A reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

At Changi Airport, a tired traveller couldn't sleep on a busy bench. Ajahn Brahm handed her one of his retreat eye shades, said have a nice sleep, and walked away. Her astonished face was reward enough. Tiny kindnesses to strangers can brighten a whole week. Expect nothing back; enjoy the chance to give.

In brief (our summary)

At Changi Airport a Western woman could not sleep on a busy bench after an overnight flight. Ajahn Brahm, carrying eye shades for retreats, gave her one and walked away — her astonished look was enough.

Teaching point

A tiny anonymous kindness can make someone's day; you need nothing back.

When this story may help

  • wanting to help
  • airport travel
  • anonymous giving

Themes

Source & credit

Told by Ajahn Brahm in How to Keep Giving Without Reward | Ajahn Brahm | 02-05-2014 · 2014-05-04 · ▶ watch from 42:36 to 43:32 · Buddhist Society of Western Australia

2 other tellings of this story

Caption notes: Manual (volunteer) captions; occasional misspellings kept as is.

The narrative is Ajahn Brahm's own telling, quoted from the talk captions. The summary and reflection are Being Mindful Stories's editorial notes. Please credit the teacher and link the original talk. Markdown version

  • Eye shades for a stranger at Changi

    In brief: Between flights at Changi he gives airline eye shades to an exhausted Western woman he does not know; her smile stays with him.

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    changy airport once and I saw this poor Western lady trying to get some rest I know what it's like when you've been over an all night flight and you know feel really terrible you just want to get a few hours of sleep before you get your connecting flight and know she was on some sort of couch trying to get some shut ey you know moving all over the place and I had uh I ey Shades you know from the air aircraft and I got out the eye shades she didn't know me I didn't know her I said have some eye shades ma'am

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  • The Japanese monk who just started walking

    In brief: A Japanese fellow-monk of Ajahn Chah flew to Tokyo to visit family in the north without telling them, walked from the airport with no…

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