There was a
story back in January that I read about a Detroit man by the name of James
Robertson who walked 21 miles each
day to work.
IN DETROIT!
Brrr….
The story
evoked an online fundraising campaign for him. Someone even offered to buy him a
car! When I first saw this story, I was immediately taken aback by the
compassion surrounding this story – from every person sharing it or who donated
money to help.
While I was
touched to see others rise to the occasion, it made me wonder, “How many people
passed this man each day, and never offered to help?”
I am not
just sharing this with you guys as an esoteric exercise. It has really bothered
me to think about this situation. Not necessarily “those people” who may never
have actually “seen” him walking to or from work each day and didn’t stop for
him, but in reflecting on myself I wonder: am I really paying attention to the
strangers on the street that I pass by each day or am I just riding by like the
thousands that must have done with Mr. Robertson?
Driving in
and out of New Brunswick each day, I pass lots of people walking on the street.
I mean, Easton Avenue is a busy commuter street. Men and women; old and young.
Parents walking their children to school and others who seem that they may have
been out all night (after all, it’s a college town!).
Since I
heard about James, I have started to look more closely at the people I pass by and
see if I see the same people at the same time each day.
This past
winter when it would snow, I actually stopped a number of times to offer rides
to people. No one actually took me up on my offer. Who knows, maybe they thought
I was crazy, and maybe I am, but I didn’t want to be one of those thousands of
people who just drove by and didn’t see if they needed help.
Ok, so what’s my point here?
My point is,
let’s all make a conscious effort to be more aware of our surroundings and the
people around us. Maybe this post will mean nothing to you, or maybe the story
about Mr. Robertson will make an impact on you like it did for me (I do sure
hope for the latter of the two).
I know I
can’t single-handedly change the world, even though I’m sure as heck going to
try, but if together we pay it forward and extend our help to those who need it
– even when it may not be obvious – then maybe, just maybe, it will give
someone the amount of hope that they need to realize there are people who care.
So, for
every person who is reading this blog today, I challenge you.
I challenge
you to look around today as you’re walking the halls of Children’s Specialized
Hospital; to take a second, third, even fourth look at the person whether it be
a parent of a colleague; or listen a little more attentively when you’re
chatting with your coworkers at lunch. I challenge you to step out of your
comfort zone just a tad and lend your hand, ear, or heart to someone.
That one
act of kindness can start that ripple in the pond, and help turn someone’s day
around.
