It’s pretty cold in my hometown these days. At the time of this writing, my seemingly temperamental thermometer is registering a whole 11°.
Driving in the cold yesterday, I was about to turn into a small shopping center when I noticed an older van blocking the entrance. So I finagled my vehicle via the exit route instead, backed up, and positioned my car directly in front of the van. Here I noticed a middle-aged woman, obviously struggling, and I could tell that her phone was frustrating her somehow, also.
So I got out of my car in the windchill that made the temps even colder.
“Ma’am, are you ok? Do you need help?”
She opened her door, and in a bit of understandable distress, responded, “My car just died. It just died in the middle of the road! And my phone won’t work either.”
I then asked that she come with me, sit in my car — a bit of a warmth oasis from the outside chills — and use my phone instead.
“Jennifer” was her name. Warming up a bit inside and out, I quickly sensed a very kind, meek woman. So meek, in fact, when I held out my phone for her to call the emergency auto service, she began to press the buttons shyly while I still held the phone.
“It’s ok. You take it.”
Together we spoke to the road service, identifying the location, issue, etc. She needed some assistance with that.
Part of the assistance was affirming in spite of the onlookers. Here in my car sat one caucasian and one African-American. We were now both blocking the entrance, in what is a fairly busy locale. But sure enough, consistent with some of the perceived societal digression, we witnessed not so much a division in the onlookers — more a unity. All sorts of persons drove by, attempting to enter but unable; there were all sorts of ethnicities, demographics, you-name-it. And they were unified…
… in their impatience.
The audacity of the number who felt need to honk at us was a little incredulous, to say the least.
Jennifer was bothered; I was moved by her genuine desire not to be a burden to anyone. I smiled and said to her, “No worries. I’m always amazed at how impatient people can be when they don’t have all the information. They simply don’t understand. And they don’t know what they don’t take the time to understand.”
She sweetly returned my smile.
After 20 minutes or so, we felt the situation was under control, and Jennifer went back to her car with the tow truck’s imminent arrival. She thanked me multiple times, especially for stopping in the cold.
It wasn’t much. I said, “You know, I believe one of the reasons God put us here was to learn to love him by helping one another. Thanks for allowing me to help you.”
And with that, we said our sincere goodbyes.
It’s pretty cold in my hometown these days. But some days are a little warmer.
Respectfully…
AR
Atta Girl
Ditto Sally!
You are walking the walk, my friend! More than once, I’ve passed up opportunities or situations where I could’ve helped others, and later regretted my lack of action. What a big blessing in a thoughtful, small gesture!