Once, when I was an adolescent I went shopping with Mamaw (okay, you could probably amend this to once a day when I was an adolescent, but I want to tell you about this one time). We went to some "big city" mall. It may have been Fort Wayne, Indiana, it may have been some place in Indianapolis but I can't place it (and that says something about the strength of this memory as I can map out almost any mall in the world that I have visited and can even adapt to renovation quickly because I have such a feel for the footprint -- I know that is somewhat sick). I don't remember what I was wearing (I almost always remember what I was wearing). I don't remember what we were shopping for. Here is what I remember...
We were in the food court, we loved to eat in food courts. We went to wash our hands before we ate (this was pre-hand sanitizer days). There was a young woman crying her eyes out back by the payphones (again, I date myself). Mamaw took note, took me, got my food, stationed me at a table where you could see the payphones and headed back. I was too young (in my family) to be left alone in the city (so I was probably like 13!) but Mamaw could see me and she left me there.
Next I can't tell you specifics but just general impressions of what happened. Mamaw went back to the young woman, talked to her by the payphones for several minutes and finally talked her into getting a Coke and sitting at the opposite end of the long table where she had left me. I was annoyed. I was embarrassed. I couldn't believe that Mamaw was paying attention to someone else on my shopping trip!
Mamaw sat there for probably an hour. She coaxed the girl into having something to eat and they talked. And they talked. And they talked. I probably acted rudely and bored.
When we left the young woman who had seemed so devastated, was smiling. Not just smiling with her mouth but with her eyes. She didn't look upset at all any longer. Mamaw had given her peace, at least for the moment.
Mamaw isn't a counselor She doesn't volunteer with any hotlines or programs for troubled Americans of any age, race, religion. Those things aren't her calling. She's a good family woman with a knack for excellent customer service
Why did you just read this story?
Well, I can't tell you that but I can tell you I wrote it because I think America is sick.
I don't think it has so much to do with the media or gun control or any of the answers I have seen floating around the last few days. American media is actually pretty tame in my view and I don't choose to own guns but I have very conflicted feelings about putting too many limits on others' right to own them.
I think that the problem is in how we treat one another.
I think it is our ability to walk by someone on the street who is hungry, who is weary, who is distraught, who is lost, who is broken and pass them by. I hear people say things like, get a job, why didn't that gunman just off himself, get a life, get it together, loser, drain on society, the government isn't your baby-daddy, you should be drug tested if you want food stamps, etc, etc, etc.
When was the last time that you put yourself out there? When did you put yourself into a situation that you maybe weren't comfortable with, weren't being paid for but you felt compelled by your soul, by your God, by your own little Jiminy Cricket to go out of your way to help someone in need in just that moment?
I'm not saying I do this. I know people who do. It's not just a myth.
I just have this overwhelming feeling that if we all stopped, looked around us and helped out the people that we see it could help. Help them up, help them grow, point them in the direction of help, let them know that someone cares and if all else fails, point the correct authority to them and point out the fact that they need help we could be living in a better place.
Would it solve all the world's ails? I have no idea. Wouldn't it be nice though to know that the next time that you fall, or feel over-whelmed or feel lonely or heartbroken without anywhere to turn all you would have to do is turn to the next person to walk by because they would not only be willing to listen but would have their eyes open and they would see that you needed them?
I think it could help.
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