This is a response to my classmate, Alicia Butler’s, class blog.
Sometimes people touch your life in a way that initially may seem trivial to them, but on a deeper level, it restores your personal faith in the goodness of human beings just little bit.
In reading this blog about Alicia’s experience during her vacation where a perfect stranger went after a hit and run driver who had hit Alicia’s rental car, I could not help but think two things. One: this incident is a perfect example of why I never, EVER decline the insurance with rental cars, cell phones or any valuable item to me that offers extra added protection and Two: I really appreciate when I am lucky enough to experience compassionate side of a fellow human being.
So often people are not aware of anything or anybody else besides themselves. We tend to live in a very self-absorbed world. Everyone is caught up in their own personal agendas and in satisfying their own needs and desires. Nevertheless, every now and then you come across an individual, usually a stranger, who for some reason does not behave like the typical person and actually makes an effort to make your life a little easier even though they don’t even know you. I really appreciate when I meet rare individuals that touch me in that way, but more importantly, I love it when I can be that individual who touches someone else in such a way.
I remember going on a business trip to San Francisco last year and as soon as I arrived at my hotel and got out of the cab and settled into my room, I got a call on my room phone from a friend back in DC telling me that my cell phone was lost.
I was shocked because I had just got to San Francisco and I had not even noticed that my phone was missing yet. My friend went on to tell me that apparently when I got out of the cab at the hotel someone else got right in the cab behind me, noticed the phone, and called the last number I had called (which was my friend). My friend in turn called my office in DC, found out what hotel I was staying in, and called me there. I was so impressed with the logic she used to contact me but even more than that, I was impressed with the consideration given by the next passenger who got in the cab after me. He could have simply passed the phone to the driver (which would have made it nearly impossible for me to ever get back) but no, he went a little further and did an extra step to convenience someone he did not even know. Of course, I called him immediately and arranged an immediate pick-up for my phone.
I found the whole scene pretty remarkable; that 30mins after arriving in a strange city, I could be granted such an immense favor that if not had been for the consideration of that stranger, my entire trip could have been ruined.
In essence, the graciousness exhibited to me by this stranger seemed ordinary to him, but to ME it conveyed a spirit of righteousness that I try to pass on to others whenever I stumble across the opportunity to do so.
It certainly makes life so much more harmonious for all.
