Building Community - One Act of Kindness

A few weeks ago, as I drove through an intersection (I was the 4th car back and had arrived just as the light turned green) - the cars in front of me were swerving to the left to go around a stack of lumber that was in the middle of the intersection.  As my brain slowly processed what I was watching, I saw a man get out of a pick-up truck and walk toward the lumber.  He started sliding the lumber out of the intersection and closer to his truck.

I continued through the intersection and pulled into the parking space in front of Panera's.  I was heading there for a quick breakfast.  My brain continued to process what I had just seen.  Oh, if we all stopped and helped the man, we could clear the intersection quickly and have him on his way in no time. The whole many hands make light work kind of thing.  BUT, my brain reminded me no one around the man's truck was helping him. Ugh!

Then, I locked up my purse in my trunk and walked the short distance of about half of a football length to the intersection.  As I was approaching his truck, to my left, I saw a man had parked his car in an empty lot next to the 6 lane road and was also headed to the man's truck.  We arrived at about the same time.  Together, he and I grabbed two long boards and carried it to the back of the truck to be loaded.

For a brief moment, I thought - oh yeah. Now others will get out of their cars and help too.  BUT no.  I was wrong.  In short order, the lumber was loaded.  With a thank you I appreciate your help, he was on his way.

Who have you driven/walked past that you could have paused and helped?  Really, it is okay to get our of your car, step across the street - to help each other.

Creating a New Way of Being in the World - one act at a time

A few weeks ago, as I drove through an intersection (I was the 4th car back and had arrived just as the light turned green) - the cars in front of me were swerving to the left to go around a stack of lumber that was in the middle of the intersection.  As my brain slowly processed what I was watching, I saw a man get out of a pick-up truck and walk toward the lumber.  He started sliding the lumber out of the intersection and closer to his truck.

I continued through the intersection and pulled into the parking space in front of Panera's.  I was heading there for a quick breakfast.  My brain continued to process what I had just seen.  Oh, if we all stopped and helped the man, we could clear the intersection quickly and have him on his way in no time. The whole many hands make light work kind of thing.  BUT, my brain reminded me no one around the man's truck was helping him. Ugh!

Then, I locked up my purse in my trunk and walked the short distance of about half of a football length to the intersection.  As I was approaching his truck, to my left, I saw a man had parked his car in an empty lot next to the 6 lane road and was also headed to the man's truck.  We arrived at about the same time.  Together, he and I grabbed two long boards and carried it to the back of the truck to be loaded.

For a brief moment, I thought - oh yeah. Now others will get out of their cars and help too.  BUT no.  I was wrong.  In short order, the lumber was loaded.  With a thank you I appreciate your help, he was on his way.

Who have you driven/walked past that you could have paused and helped?  Really, it is okay to get our of your car, step across the street - to help each other.