Faith restored

The times we live in aren’t easy.

I guess every generation says something like this and they really believe it. With a major war going on in Europe and China looking like it is clamping down in Asia, it sometimes becomes hard for me to be optimistic about the present state of the world and for the future.

There are a lot of bad people out there.

Fortunately, the other day, I was reminded there are a lot of good, helpful folk out there too. Sometimes it is hard to remember this.

Last week, I was reminded how people who don’t know each other will help those in need.

I was leaving the Saratoga Hot Springs Resort and, as I pulled out of the parking lot, I felt a thump, thump, thump

Sure enough, my back right tire was flat.

First thing I did was call the road service I have with my insurance. That is always a bit of a battle because the call is taken in some place like Arizona, Texas or, at best, Colorado. Trying to get a truck from nearby can be a challenge. Most often if I don’t explain Laramie is way further than Rawlins or another closer town, I get service from this college town. When that happens, I am looking at a minimum of three hours. Once it was five hours.

Once I got the service from Rawlins, I was told it would be a couple hours, which is fairly reasonable. I walked to the office of the Saratoga Sun and called Shively North where I often get my tires. They needed the tire’s number.

Of course they did.

Unfortunately, the car was still at the Resort and I was at the office of the Sun which meant a walk back to the car. It was getting close to 5 p.m., so I realized no dawdling on my part.

I got back to the car and was looking for the tire number on the sidewall when a large pickup pulled behind me.

“You need help?” a gentleman I had never seen before asked.

I explained I was okay and waiting for road service. I had just been told by the Rawlins tow company they would be leaving in about 20 minutes. 

The stranger asked if I had a spare, which I answered affirmatively, and the next thing I know he is pulling out a jack which changes tires on trucks and cars way larger than mine.

He told me to call the service up and cancel as he pulled out his power tool to take out the nuts.

He had the job done in less than five minutes.

I will call this good Samaritan “Andy”.

I offered Andy some cash and he said no.

He just said when I saw someone who needed help in some way, to remember this instance and pay it back.

Fair enough, but I couldn’t help but be impressed how he helped a perfect stranger.

I have been by the side of the road before for whatever reason and had people I knew pull over and help, but it had been a while since a total stranger had helped me.

Well, this is Carbon County and, in general, I find people kind and generous so I should not be surprised at the assistance. 

I started to make a generalization in my mind the assistance I had received would not likely happen so easily elsewhere. Then I started to remember when I was overseas and how many times locals would go out of their way to help me when I found myself in a tough situation.

I can remember in Taiwan being invited into a home while I waited for a friend to pick me up when my motorcycle died in this small village just outside the city I lived in.

Honestly, strangers helped me all the time in Taiwan, especially the early years when my Chinese was not good enough to be understood well.

I have quite a few memories of traveling in places like Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong and Singapore where I needed some sort of help and a stranger took the time to make everything good.

Australia was a place where I had strangers assist me all the time with whatever popped up.

In Europe it was the same story. 

Maybe I am a person who just looks like he is needy, but looking back, I can’t help but be pleased how often people living all over have helped me.

This baby revelation was exactly what the doctor ordered, as far as me feeling good about the world. 

I read stories of peoples’ kindness towards those less fortunate all the time, so I know there are good folk out there, but reading about it and experiencing it are two different things.

After Andy left and I started driving away, I felt optimistic about my fellow man.

I understand there are bad folk out there who will take advantage of people any way they can. I have seen a few of those too.

However this act of kindness went a long way with me.

It really did.

I have found myself more tolerant with demands on my free time and I lend a hand more easily when I can. It has inspired me to try and be a better person more consistently.

Amazing what an act of kindness can produce.

I am glad to be reminded.

 

Reader Comments(0)