To protect the innocent, and to not over share, I will simply say that our family had gone through some trying times involving medical issues over the holidays. It is not my story to tell, so I won’t tell it. I will, however, tell you of the triumph over tragedy.
When someone - or some people - are dealing with a terrifying experience or unrest, and you can come together to support them, that is where the true miracle lies. Sure, we all want the miracle healing, or the winning lottery numbers to erase our financial woes. But, the simple day-to-day miracle of just being there for that person you care about is a miracle in and of itself.
I experienced this not once, but twice in the last five days. The first occurred on Christmas Eve. When a family member needed it most, the rest of my family rearranged their own schedules to come back together and celebrate with our loved one who missed out on the initial celebration. That’s a lot of family togetherness, folks! But it made me so very grateful to be a part of these awesome people's lives. And, I know it aided in the healing and comfort of those who suffered.
Then, just a few days later, I found myself the victim of a hit and run car accident. Thankfully, the damage was minor and I was perfectly fine, but in those moments just after the accident, I was an emotional wreck. I texted a friend, who immediately replied. Of course, I was a rambling, upset, adrenaline-infused, crazy person spewing anger and profanities. But hours later, when the shock, fear, and rage had left my body, I was left feeling spent and sad, but, again, filled with warm gratitude for the person who jumped in feet first to comfort me. Maybe he didn’t think he was doing anything special. Maybe it wasn’t such a big deal to him. But to me -- the person on the receiving end -- it meant the world in those scary, upsetting moments.
To my even greater surprise, a good Samaritan had seen the other driver flee the scene, and instead of just ignoring it and going on with his own day, he followed the car, took a picture of it and the plates, and then drove back to the scene of the crash where I stood weeping, waiting for the police to show up. He pulled over, got out of his car and walked over to me. He explained what he had done as he handed me a piece of paper with all of the vehicle information and then emailed me the picture he took. I was so overwhlemed with gratitute that tears fell and I wanted to squeeze this stranger senseless for his act of kindness. I was in the presence of two heroes that day.
When you experience duress, and the people around you move in closer to show their support, it really can make a huge impact. Over the years, I have moved away from people who are negative and bring their rainclouds of drama into my life, or try to put me down. I’d rather surround myself with positivity and sunshine. Sure, we all have upsetting things to deal with in life… but keeping the people who build you up, and cheer you on close to you makes the road much easier to travel.
I want to be that person who you can count on; the one who’ll stand by you, hold you up, root for you, or even cry with you. I want to be the person who helps when needed, even before help is asked. I strive to be warm smile you see or the kind words uttered, because you never know how much you can change a person’s day, mood, or even life, with small gestures of goodness.
The last five days has shown me that there are amazingly compassionate people in the world, and that this is what we need more of. I wrote this blog to speak about the rallying of people coming together when tragedy hits. I wanted to put some good energy out there to remind you all to KEEP acting with compassion, even when there is no tragedy in front of you. It’s what the world needs more of. Let’s start out 2017 with some rays of sunshine and smiles. Tell the people who are important to you that you care about them. Cherish them in all of their wiggy, vulnerable, goofy fantastic humanity. Smile at the stranger. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Say thank you. Be gracious. Be kind. Don’t wait for the hero to jump in and save the day. BE the hero to jump in and save the day.
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