# Swings at the bus stop

- Teacher: Ajahn Brahm
- Type: Story
- URL: https://beingmindfulstories.com/stories/brahm-montreal-bus-stop-swings
- Themes: relaxation, play, priorities, humour
- Life situations: busy schedules, workplace stress, commuting

## Synopsis (editorial summary)

Someone sent him a photo of Montreal bus stops fitted with playground swings. Waiting commuters swing back and forth — highly relaxing, so executives arrive as better bosses. It was so popular that, he says, sociologists found people letting the bus go and waiting for the next one because they were having too much fun.

## The story, as told by Ajahn Brahm (verbatim captions)

In Montreal they have swings like in the children's playground. So the people waiting for the bus would swing backwards and forwards, backwards and forwards. It's very innovative and much more fun you have to do that. But can't we make it more fun? And apparently many people miss their buses because they're having too much fun on the swings

## Teaching point

Play and relaxation deserve priority over always achieving.

## Reflection (in the spirit of Ajahn Brahm's talk)

A city once installed swings at bus stops, and people reportedly let buses go because they were having too much fun. Ajahn Brahm loves it: why not make life more playful? Laughter eases pain, though a friend recovering from surgery begged him for no jokes, and he failed. Let a little fun into the daily grind.

## Source

- [How to deal with chronic pain | Ajahn Brahm | 04-07-2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As9jmZBCUWU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 35:59 to 36:21: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As9jmZBCUWU&t=2159s

Other tellings of this story:

- [Relax | Ajahn Brahm | 19 May 2017](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97u4C6-HjOQ) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 9:37 to 11:20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97u4C6-HjOQ&t=577s
- [Is religion no better than Prozac? | Ajahn Brahm | 06-06-2014](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPhlS0bllPU) (Buddhist Society of Western Australia) — watch from 38:19 to 39:32: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPhlS0bllPU&t=2299s