Lately, I've been thinking a lot about helping others. How do we walk by people clearly in need of assistance, whether it be a friend or a stranger? Who am I to walk by another human being in need and not wonder if there is anything I could do to help?
These thoughts have not come about randomly. No, I have encountered some instances in the past few weeks to make me question the people in society today. I usually like to think our society is not much different from in the past, but I am not sure anymore. I see people who are afraid to lend a hand in fear that something will happen to them, and I really can't blame them because of stories circulating in the media. But, I like to think that if I help someone, they will help others in the future and all in all, it will make the world a better place.
Over the weekend, I went to Cleveland to visit a friend. One night, my friend Nicole and I joined her two friends and were driving in the city when we came upon a woman sitting in the middle of the street. A man stood in front of her and two men from a car stopped behind her were approaching. We had no idea what was going on, but from the perspective of a woman, I saw a woman alone, surrounded by three men. Nicole told her friend driving the car to stop, but the driver had no intentions of stopping. Both Nicole and I yelled at her to stop the car and started moving to get ready to make our exit from the vehicle. Being trapped in the back seat of a two door car, I could not get out, but Nicole opened her door as we were still moving to get the driver to stop. Finally, she stopped and we ended up having to call the police to make sure that the woman got out of the street and went unharmed by the man forcibly trying to move her.
However, the instant arrival of three cop cars was not the most interesting part of this incident. In my opinion, the only option was to stop and help this woman, but the girl driving said no because "we worry about ourselves before we worry about others." I could not believe the words were leaving her mouth when I heard her say it. How hard was it for us to stop the car to make sure a woman clearly in danger was safe? Of course I am going to worry about someone else in harms way when my prescence could make a difference. But, the driver thought we were putting ourselves in danger because we did not know who the people were. I could not imagine passing this scene. I would have always wondered what happened to that woman.
But, I am not always the most helpful person either. I walk by people who have knocked things over, can't find their cars in Walmart's parking lot and my mom and dad hastily trying to cook dinner without thinking twice about helping out. Today as I was driving, I saw this little old woman walking along the side of the highway. Sure, there are houses along the road and she could have possibly been walking to get her mail or visiting her neighbors. As I passed by, I noticed she had a walking cane, and I think she had passed at least two mailboxes. I thought about turning around to see where she went, but the car was low on gas and I continued on my way home instead. 15 hours later, I sit here wondering if that little old lady had to walk a long distance to wherever she was going, or if she was just checking her mail. If I would have just turned around, I might not have this nagging question in my head.
Why did I help in one instance and not the other? Is it something about being the driver that makes you not want to stop your car? Or is it the fact that I had others with me who wanted to help in the first incident that reassured me it was the right thing to do?
As my unrest thoughts continuously remind me, I have to help others. I need to know if someone who looks like they may need assistance gets it. I know that this is part of who I am and I will never forget the day I decided I could not go without helping those in troubled times. -- Yes, I speak of the day when I sat beside Marie at lunch as she choked on an ice cube. I remember laughing as she coughed, but when she started gagging, I thought she really needed help. I knew I could not sit there and watch someone die. Since I didn't know it was an ice cube that would eventually melt, I stood up and called for help. Now, I admit that I had been laughing and perhaps the last smile had not yet faded from my face, but at this point I was serious, yet no one in the room even looked to see why I had called for help. I may blame it on the fact that we had been laughing as the reason for why no one came to save Marie's life when I called for help, but it still makes me wonder who would help me if I sit dying beside them.
I'd hate to end on such a morbid thought, especially during the cheerful holiday season. Therefore, I'd like to thank the people who helped an old friend in need of some money to buy his kids gifts for Christmas. He could not stop thanking me and telling me of his pure amazement at the willingness of others to help him. He managed to get each of his kids a toy and clothes, knowing that the money would be better used to buy things they needed rather than toys. I am happy to know that I am surrounded by loved ones who are willing to give a helping hand, and hopefully if I begin to choke as I sit beside you, you will have more success at getting me help than I did with Marie.
Merry Christmas :)
True true. Sometimes I feel bad because I ignore people in need or help, like the people that stand on the corners with signs asking for jobs or money. I think we really do need to step back away from ourselves and see the big picture, that we're not the only ones living in this world...
ReplyDeleteP.S. Merry Christmas! And text me when you want to go apartment shopping :) (yay!)