Last week a 78-year old man was paralyzed by a hit and run driver in Hartford,Connecticut. Noone stopped to help him even though there was video of it..... a few people called 911 as they drove by him. How did we get into such a state?
I recall an experience I had at an amusement park 2 years ago (yes, I was either brave enough or stupid enough to take my 3 children ... ages 12, 10 and 8... to an amusement park on a holiday weekend... chuckle). We were in line in ninety-two degree heat for a ride and a little bit ahead of us was a 30ish-year-old African American woman and her approximately 11-year-old daughter.
Suddenly the young girl began to swoon and slowly collapsed to the ground. The appalling thing was that no one did anything but just look and pretend to not see it. I ran up to her and lifted her upper body off of the cement as her mother helplessly looked on in a stunned fashion. I do not know if everyone was afraid to either get involved or to lose his or her place in line. Such a feeling of sadness for the situation and then a great love and compassion for this young girl that I had never met before filled me. I yelled for someone to give me some water (lots of folks with water bottles around since it was a hot day).... and only one single person reluctantly handed one over. I gave the girl some water to drink and then asked her mother if I could pour some over her head, as she was incredibly hot and dehydrated. As I poured the water over her head and caressed her face, I asked if she thought she could stand with her arm wrapped around my waist with her mother supporting her other side. We moved her out of line and toward a shady area; the look of absolute shock on her father's face as he saw a Caucasian woman nearly carrying his young daughter toward him where he was awaiting them in the shade will stay in my mind for a while. They both thanked me and I just was amazed at how shocked people are today at a simple act of compassion. We saw them later in the park and this young girl and her sister were lively and enjoying themselves a great deal.
WHY DO PEOPLE STAND BY AND REMAIN DETACHED?
The true and fundamental essence of each and every person is actually peaceful and loving. In today?s Western society, however, our sense of peace has become disturbed and distorted due to our attachments, misperceptions, and faulty beliefs, all honed through our life's experiences. We have gone from being heart-centered to being fear-centered. The peace we once experienced has shifted into anger, love has transformed into fear, and happiness has evolved into confusion and sadness.
DocTracy
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment