As I crossed a busy two-way street, I noticed a small, frail woman making her way very slowly through the intersection. I was concerned that the might not be able to get across the street before the light changed. I paused momentarily to monitor her progress. Thankfully, the light gave her just enough time to make it safely to the other side. I walked a short block to the coffee shop and ordered a latte.
When I came back outside, I saw the lady again. She had made it to the corner by coffee shop, but she seemed hesitant to cross. This smaller intersection didn’t have a traffic signal. Car and delivery trucks sometimes dash past the stop sign aggressively. I was concerned that drivers might not see her, so I decided to walk accross the street beside her. I’m a much large person; I figured that drivers would see me before they saw her.
As I approached, I asked the lady if she was okay. She smiled and asked, “Can I cross with you?”
“Sure!” I said, as she reached for my arm. “I’ll take you as far as you need to go.”
“Thank you!” she said as she held onto me securely. “I’m going to the subway.”
“At the next corner?”
“Yes.”
We walked together very slowly as she held onto my arm. She told me that she had M.S. I asked her if some days were better than others. She said yes and explained that it’s particularly hard for her to walk when the wind is strong, as it was yesterday.
The lady told me where she worked and said that she comes into the office every day. I suggested that maybe she should look into working from home a couple of day a week. She said that she had thought about it. Her company would let her do it, but her pride motivated her to make the trip every day.
We parted ways at the subway station. The lady asked me for my name, and we introduced ourselves. I wished her a safe and pleasant evening.
I walked back to the office feeling grateful that I had thought to check on her. I didn’t imagine that she would ask for help. I just wanted to make sure that the cars saw her as she was crossing. I had no idea that she would want help getting to her train, but I was honored to be of service.
We take our good health for granted. We don’t think about our mobility until it’s restricted by disease or injury. Another thing that we take for granted is that the people we see around us can take care of themselves. Perhaps they can, but it doesn’t hurt to check on someone who appears to be struggling.
We’re all busy; it’s tempting to believe that we don’t have time to deviate from our demanding schedules. I worked for another four hours when I got back to the office. I could have convinced myself that I didn’t have time to stop, but helping others is as important as anything else that we do in our day. All of us will need help of some kind at one time or another. Imagine how tragic it will be if no one cares enough to come to our aid.
Copyright © 2019 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.