Has your car ever broken-down during rush hour, on a very busy road, in a spot where you could not move your vehicle completely out of the line of traffic?

You say to yourself – Oh my, these drivers must be furious. Then, one person after another stops, offering to help. They care more about you than getting to their destination a little faster.

One young man turned his truck around – stopped traffic, and for safety pushed my car to a side street. In moving the car, we partially blocked a driveway. The homeowner returned. They could access their home. Still, I apologized. ‘Oh, that’s OK,’ said the young man. If AAA takes too long, just press the gate buzzer and come inside to wait and have a cup of coffee.

The AAA man arrived. I’m so sorry you’re having this problem. Let’s take care of you. Make no mistake, their work is hard. He made it seem like the most fun he’d had all day.

Listening to bad news aplenty, reading about abuse, mayhem, and scandals is harrowing. We forget how many really good people are in our world. Strangers who see a need and want to help. Service professionals, worked to the bone, but eager to put others at ease. Sons who drop everything and come to your rescue.

I’ll miss my car for a few days. What I received in return was seeing and receiving the spirit of a giving people. It puts the grim news on page two. It renews hope during this  Season that should be joyful. So, thank you – to those who stopped to help, those who did not honk their horns, and those who said let’s take care of you.

As one nightly broadcaster says: Thank you for listening, take care of yourself – and each other.

###