# Eye shade for a stranger at Changi

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-changi-eye-shade-stranger
- Themes: kindness, travel, generosity, strangers
- Life situations: wanting to help, airport travel, anonymous giving

## Synopsis (editorial 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.

## 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

## Teaching point

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

## 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.

## Source

- [How to Keep Giving Without Reward | Ajahn Brahm | 02-05-2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krhmz-dau0s) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 42:36 to 43:32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Krhmz-dau0s&t=2556s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Why Do People Come Here? | Ajahn Brahm | 18 December 2020](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwPyLq9Pxug) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 4:01 to 4:58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwPyLq9Pxug&t=241s
- [Community and Trust | Ajahn Brahm | 12 December 2025](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoAKXQONqi4) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 4:13 to 5:58: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoAKXQONqi4&t=253s