This afternoon, just a few days out from Christmas, something happened that made me feel quite sad. At the same time it handed me a lesson in REALITY. I hope you will see something of value in what I’m about to share with you.
You see, I have had a very “challenging” year. Things have happened in my professional (offline) life that should NEVER have happened, but some people – being who they are – just cannot play by the rules. So they do things to advantage themselves by taking what isn’t theirs. Enough of that.
To take my mind off those issues I’ve been working really hard this year trying to bring you a lot of good original content, sprinkled with a wide variation of material including a fair bit of humor here and there. I like to remain upbeat even in the face of daunting forces opposing all that I stand for.
Unfortunately, of late, online I’ve also had a series of people who have taken it upon themselves to be abusive, cantankerous, insulting, argumentative and all those other things that you just wish people would refrain from doing. Oh, I know we ALL get people like that from time to time who just want to exert their false sense of superiority over us.
Most of my online friends cop it too. But lately I’ve had a run of nastiness from people that has been unprecedented in its ferocity – name-calling and simple outright hatred. It seems inversely proportional to the quality and quantity of material that I’ve created and put out for everyone to share.
It seems that anyone who stands for a cause or sticks their head up to support what they think is worthwhile or, really, tries to do ANYTHING positive, is bombarded with these type of people. I’m not an orphan with this. And it’s been said that anyone who is anyone cops their share of abuse.
Adding to all this is the general impatience and rudeness of customers and staff in the shopping centers where tempers seem to be at fever pitch right now and the aggression we all see on the roads at this time of the year and you start to wonder where all the good and decent people have gone. You begin to wonder what has gotten into so many people. Do you sometimes think that?
I was beginning to think it was just me but a lot of people I talk to are saying the SAME thing. I think the pressure of Christmas has brought out some very poor behavior in a lot of probably otherwise decent people. Pressure. Most people don’t handle it well at all.
Anyway, I was pondering these and many other things this afternoon as I was ascending the escalator as I departed a local shopping center. I like to observe human behavior so I was scanning and looking at all the people coming the other way – ie traveling down the escalator. I didn’t see too many happy faces which kinda reinforced what I’d been thinking. People are under pressure and it is manifesting itself even on their faces. Worry.
One lady caught my eye…
She was perhaps in her mid-sixties and she was crying.
I hate seeing people cry – especially older people.
I sort of stared at her just to make sure and yes, she definitely had tears streaming down her face. Other people saw her too. I heard some remarks “Ooh I wonder what’s wrong with her?”
I stood for a few moments at the top of the escalator thinking…
… “should I check to see if I can help her?” And a voice inside my head said: “Just mind your own business Gary!” You see, many times in the past I have intervened and then become involved in things I wish I HADN’T become involved in. But she was crying. I found myself stopped in the doorway. Thinking. Wondering why she was so upset. Should I try to help her? Could I help her?
You see, at this particular shopping center I’ve seen some very aggressive people become involved in some really nasty stuff with other people – bag snatches, shouting matches, assaults, car-jackings, the odd push-and-shove scuffle, speeding through the carpark like maniacs. You know – boofhead behavior.
So, I was wondering if some crazy nutcase may have assaulted her or robbed her or screamed at her for taking a parking space. That happens a fair bit at this busy center, unfortunately. I was thinking that maybe I might be able to offer some “Gazza attitude adjustment counseling” to a boofhead who picked on a little old lady.
Back inside I went. Against my better judgment I might add. Who knows what I was gonna find out…
I caught up with the lady as she was stepping off the escalator. She was still crying coz I walked around her and had a look just to make sure. Very politely I asked her if I could help her. Tears were streaming down her face. She could hardly speak.
I asked her if somebody had upset her. She said no. Well, that was a relief. I don’t really enjoy dispensing “attitudinal adjustment” even though I’m rather good at it.
Not wanting to intrude upon her privacy I felt somewhat helpless. Again I asked her if I could help her.
Eventually, she managed to say that she had just been diagnosed with leukemia. Gee, I felt like putting my arms around her but I knew that these days – with all the laws that we now have – that you just cannot do that, particularly if you are a mere stranger. And, even worse, a male.
I said I was sorry to hear that and asked her again if there was anything I could do for her. With tears still flowing down her face she thanked me and wandered away, sobbing.
I felt pretty hopeless. And then it HIT me. We really should be thankful for so many things that we take for granted.
I have no idea how long that lady has to live. I hope that whatever time she does have left is surrounded by people who love her and can care for her.
Life is a death sentence.
Maybe we should all take a step back and be grateful for what we have. Today was a big REALITY check for me.
Feel free to comment…
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