Last week my wife and I were strolling along a sidewalk. A few yards in front of us a woman sat on a bench cradling her baby. The pacifier in the child’s mouth fell out and landed on the ground in an awkward position for the mother to retrieve. My wife went quickly over to assist, a surprised look of gratitude appearing on the woman’s face.
Fifteen hours later we were on another city sidewalk making our way to a restaurant for dinner. Hand-in-hand, I suddenly felt her drop alongside me. She had slipped on a metal grate and ended up on her hands and knees. Fortunately, no serious injuries. A couple of bruised knees and a bit shocked from the sudden jolt. I managed to help her up as others continued to walk around us. It was not until sitting down for dinner that a realization hit. Nobody … Not one person paused to assist … or even bothered to ask if she was okay.
In this present world of turmoil and strife … of political upheaval and unrest … of pointing fingers to blame others for situations and woes … we have missed a major point of our very existence. We have become too individualistic. Selfish. Concerned only for what is in it for me. We have missed the point that we are meant to be in relationship. To reach out to others. To be concerned for others … to LOVE.
And for those in the political realm who feel they can solve all the world’s problems with another law … another protest … another program … or some educational initiative … You cannot legislate virtue.