A “Good Samaritan” Moment
April 3, 2012 by Lillie
Recently, Jack and I were out running errands. On the way home from the post office, Jack said, “Does he need help?” I hadn’t been paying attention and didn’t know what he was talking about. Jack backed up a few feet to the entrance to the parking lot of a restaurant not yet open for the day. There on the sidewalk lay a young man with his wheelchair overturned beside him. He had tipped over going up the steep incline and fallen out of his chair. Fortunately, he wasn’t injured, but he was helpless to get back into the chair.
Jack and I got out of the van, righted the wheelchair, and tried to lift the man back into the chair. Although he was light and both of us are large, neither of us is strong and both of us are unsteady on our feet. I had to lean against the van to keep myself upright, and between the two of us we couldn’t lift the man.
Fortunately a young woman walked up, taking the same shortcut through the parking lot that the fallen man had taken. With her help, we lifted him back into his chair and checked again to make sure he wasn’t hurt. The young woman pushed his wheelchair across the parking lot and to the convenience store where each had been headed before our encounter. We drove to the store and made sure the young man purchased his soda and started home safely.
We read the story of the Good Samaritan in the Bible and wonder if we would stop to help or cross by on the other side. The man we helped hadn’t been attacked by robbers. He wasn’t injured, and we didn’t have to take him to an inn to care for him. But I hope he thought of us and the young lady who helped him up as his Good Samaritans.
Often we think that we have to do something large and important in order to make a difference in the world. But sometimes we called to make just a small difference in the life of one person. And it’s easy to overlook those opportunities.
I remember an incident from long ago. We had a small fire in the back seat of our car on a busy highway. Jack pulled to the side of the road, and we had to remove the back seat to put out the fire. Cars whizzed past at the speed limit (or faster), but no one even glanced our direction. We were able to get the fire out and the seat back in the car, but it would have been easier if someone had helped us.
When we were out running errands, I wasn’t paying attention to my surroundings, and we would not have helped this young man if Jack hadn’t noticed him lying on the sidewalk. I’m going to keep my eyes open now. Who knows what opportunities I’ve missed by not paying attention?
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed help? Did someone give you aid? Have you been the one helping someone else?
photo credit: Daquella manera
Well well done to Jack for spotting him!
It was a great thing you did Lillie, and don’t worry about not seeing him, the important thing is that someone else did. None of us are prefect and we all need help
Christopher,
Jack is more observant than I am, so I’m glad he was looking.
So glad to hear that some people actually help those who need help, if you hadn’t helped the poor guy could have be lying there for hours!
Andreas,
I’m sure the young lady who helped us would have helped by herself if we weren’t there. However, I’m not sure one person could have done it because of the steep incline.
It’s always so refreshing to hear beautiful stories of kindness. Thank you Lillie!
Thank you, Silky.
I think the most important part of what you wrote is when you tell us that you weren’t paying attention to your surroundings. Even the most conscientious among us are guilty of being oblivious to what is going on around them. I think this stems from being lost in our thoughts, worries and responsibilities. I think we all need to become aware of the present moment and live in it as much as possible. As we reside in the present moment God will reveal himself to us… as inspiration… as a solution to a problem which has been troubling us … and even in the form of another person who needs help. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story!
Adrian,
Thank you for pointing out that important point.
That’s an incredible act of kindness from you, I’m sure he’ll remember. I notice these days, even small acts of kindness tend to shock people, perhaps because everyone expects everyone else to be so self-centered?
The other day at the grocery store, the cashier forgot to ring up one of the more expensive items I had purchased. I could have walked away with it, but I showed her the bill and that she hadn’t charged me. The look on her face was priceless, “you’re so honest!”. I’d hate to think it would have come out of her salary.
Jen,
It’s sad when simple kindness or honesty is a shock. When my husband shop, we both use scooters. Twice I have discovered that I had put something under my feet rather than in the basket and forgot to put it on the conveyor. On both occasions, I went back to the store and told them what happened and paid for the item. Not doing so would be theft.
Good on ya, Jack, for taking notice of a time to help another. It is so important to help others if we can!
Thank you for such a touching post, Lillie. I enjoyed reading it.
I don’t normally make it a point to look for opportunities where I could help others but I do seize those moments when I can.
I have been on both sides of the fence. I knew a friend in high school who walked on wooden legs. One day she fell. Because she is a tall person, it took me and another student to help her up. I have also helped others to their feet when they have fallen (my mother is a double amputee, so I know how important it is to help in such a situation). Also helped those who had no food, who needed help communicating in Spanish or needed money for one situation or another. I once bought a trunkload of groceries for a poor family who had nothing.
Also, others have helped me. Once came up short when buying some fast food and a kind man in a wheelchair behind me offered the extra money. Also had others help if I was lost, car was broke down or there was an emergency with my child.
Acts of kindness are memories that are cherished. Yes, it’s SO important to help others in whatever way we can. Big or small, every little thing we do helps! We are all in this world together.
Dawn,
You make a good point that we are sometimes on the receiving end of the good deeds of others. Thank you for all the things you have done to help others.