This is a story that happened to me today on my way home school.  I'm sending this to everyone in my address book because what happened says a lot about the way people treat others in this day and age.

 

Today started off like any other normal weekday.  I woke up, got my kids dressed and dropped off to daycare, then made my way to school.  I took my classes and, low and behold, I got out nearly an hour early from my second class.  Excited, I made my way across the parking lot and to my car.  Not even thinking, I pulled off onto a back street instead of going down to the main street as I usually do.  No big deal.  There were less lights that way anyway so I didn't bother to get onto the main road.

 

So I was driving down the street, thinking of maybe picking up my kids early so we could carve pumpkins before it got too dark, possibly going grocery shopping by myself or maybe even just sitting at home relaxing until it was time to get them.  In any case, I had plans for the extra time I had received today and I wanted to make good use of it.

 

As I neared the end of the back road, ready to turn and get onto the main street, I passed a woman.  She was pulled off on the side of the road, hood popped up, tears streaming down n her face.  Mind you, I wasn't in the nicest of neighborhoods.  It was more of one of those places that people like me make sure their doors are locked as they drive through.  Besides, I had things to do and I didn't know this person; why should I stop?  I started to pass the woman and continue on my way, but I looked over at her and I hesitated when our eyes met.

 

You see, last week something similar happened to me.  I was driving down the road and my car decided that it wanted to break down.  I had all three of my children with me, all of them scared and crying, and I stood outside of my car for at twenty minutes as car after car drove past me with no offer of help.  Most of the motorists wouldn't even look at me.  And all I could feel was this deep helplessness and sadness that people are either so caught up with their own concerns or so afraid of bad things happening that they can't stop to help someone in need.  Strangers are strangers and unimportant in the grand scheme of things so we don't bother with them.

 

What are we teaching our youth I wonder?  To ignore people that need help because it doesn't fit into our schedules?  That people we don't know don't matter to us?  Or that if you ever need help you won't receive it?  This isn't a message that I want to send to my own children, and I would hope that no one wants their children, nieces, or nephews to have that outlook either. 

 

About the woman today?   Her name was Lucy and I helped her push her car off the road and gave her a ride to her house.  She told me that she had been sitting on that street, in the cold weather, for better than forty five minutes with no one ever stopping to see if they could help.  Another woman actually parked her car behind Lucy's and when she was asked if she could help Lucy jump her car she replied with an irritated snort, "Please..I'm already late." 

 

Lucy must have thanked me a dozen times for the ride and even offered me $20 for my trouble, which I told her to keep since she would be needing it for her car more than I needed it for the minimal amount of gas I'd used and the time I spent.  I told her my payment was the feeling that I had right then from knowing that I helped someone when they really needed it.

 

She smiled at me and got out of my car and said "You must be an angel, honey, because God was sure looking out for me today."  So the angel I found today was me, and I feel good about that.

 

I'm asking you to please pass this on.  It only takes a few minutes to forward.  I just really want people to know that it only takes a moment to make someone else's day better, to offer a hand of help when someone is really in need.  They say that good deeds come back to you and even if it's not true , the feeling that I had today is completely worth any time spent or effort put forth to come to the aide of another person.  Can you imagine what it would be like if a moment ever found you in need and people didn't hesitate to help?  I can.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read this and God bless.

Danielle