I was listening to the news on my ride into Rosenberg early one morning. The top story was the presidential election where the mudslinging is hot and heavy.

Also in the news was a raging fire near Amarillo, and residents were urged to flee. The newscaster ended the segment talking about a looming government shutdown. Then there was the usual litany of accidents on the freeway, overnight murders and robberies.

And, before they go to a commercial break, beware of porch pirates, people robbing you when you go to the mall and purse snatchers as you put your groceries in your car.

What a way to start the morning, I thought. It’s no wonder there’s so much road rage out there, and why people are in grouchy moods before that first cup of coffee kicks in.

I neared the stop light on Avenue I in front of Lucky Rudy’s and saw the light was yellow. I applied the brakes, but out of the corner of my eye, I saw a young woman dashing across four lanes of traffic.

I looked to see what could be so important she’d risk getting hit. Then I saw where she was headed.

On the other side of the street was an elderly lady in a wheelchair. She was on the sidewalk, close to the road. She looked so small in that wheelchair, and I could see she was all alone.

But not for long. This young woman quickly made her way across the road and was rushing up to the lady. That’s when I noticed why the wheelchair was tilted a little bit.

The wheels of the chair had gotten caught in the broken concrete. I only realized that when I saw the young lady put her purse and bag down next to the wheelchair, smiling at the lady the whole time.

Then she pushed the wheelchair out of the rut, pulled the chair away from the road and back onto the smooth sidewalk.

In less than a minute, one young lady restored my faith in humanity. She’d noticed what none of the rest of us had seen, and she took immediate action without hesitating.

People must’ve noticed the lady in the wheelchair but nobody stopped. Someone could’ve rolled down their window and asked her or parked their car and gotten out to see if she was in trouble.

But on a chilly morning, nobody had taken the time to stop.

Except one young lady.

We hear about random acts of kindness all the time, and we remind ourselves we need to be better.

We need to pay attention and help others when the situation arises.

When something does happen and we’re either in a hurry or not close enough, we hope somebody else will take the time to lend a helping hand.

Selfishly, it’s hard to inconvenience ourselves, especially when we’re on the way to work, and often running late.

So many people kept driving right past that lady in the wheelchair, and I would’ve been one of them. I would’ve glanced at her quickly and told myself she was waiting for a ride or for the light to change.

I would’ve been wrong.

A feeling of guilt and happiness filled my heart as I drove off. Guilt that I hadn’t noticed the lady on the side of the road. Happiness that a young girl did something positive about the situation.

Despite the doom-and-gloom headlines, there are good, kind people right here in our midst.

They pay attention, get out of their comfort zone and lend a helping hand.

I’m glad that young lady did exactly that.

In less than two minutes, my dear, you restored my faith that this world isn’t going to the devil.

Thank you.

 

         This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.