It takes one drop to turn something well-meaning into something evil.
I see good in everyone I meet.
You bring out the best in people because you only see the best in them. ~Rimi
The above quote was told to me years ago after a long night of sitting and chatting with friends from around the world. A new person had joined our group for one night. I had commented on how nice they were.
Other people there did not agree with my statement. My friend Rimi then shared her thoughts above. What she said has stuck with me to this day.
I did not see this as a bad trait to have. If interacting with me made someone want to be a better person in general, how could it be a bad thing? It can not.
Friday evening July 17th, 2020
I was finally feeling good on this day. I had accomplished a ton of household things and work projects I had been wanting to do. For the first time in a long time, I did not feel most of my day was spent waiting for my mind and body to wake up enough to function.
While taking out the garbage bag from the kitchen I heard the sound of a band playing off in the distance. It was a beautiful day outside with a few more hours of sunlight left. I decided to go for a walk to see where the music was coming from.
Walking back into the house I grabbed my cane and cell phone to take on my quest to find music and laughter.
Walking toward the river I could see more and more people out walking then I have seen all Summer long. It made me smile. Mothers walking with their daughters. Others walking their dogs. The world, for a moment, felt right.
My first encounter was with a man older than me. I was about 15 feet away from him and I coughed. He grabbed his mask and quickly drew it up over his face while looking me in the eye and saying that it wasn't because I coughed. I explained to the man that I smoked a lot and because of this do cough. You could see him physically relax.
He ended up starting a twenty-minute conversation about masks with me. I listened and in the end, we had a nice conversation. He went off to walk his dog and I went off to find the music realizing I had not grabbed a mask before I left the house. My oversite.
Normally when I go on a walk no one is awake. Grabbing a mask has not become normal to me. The few times I have gone to a store I had my purse which does have my mask in it.
I realized, while walking the twenty last feet to the river, any idea I had about getting close to the music was not safe for others or me. This was okay. There are a lot of benches and tables that dot the river walk. I was happy just to sit there listening to the people and music from far away.
Luck was on my side. The first table was open with no one sitting on it. I would be close enough to hear the music clearly but not close enough to cause anyone harm. I made my way to the table, slid my legs in, and lowered myself to sit on the bench attached. I ended up on the ground.
I was more in shock wondering how someone with a rear-end, as big as mine, could miss a whole seat and end up on the ground until I turned on my side and saw at least ten people all facing away from me. Those same people who were close enough to have seen me fall.
I am not a small woman. I have pure white hair and the sun was out. When I fell, knocking the air out of my lungs, I had made a loud sound.
Rolling over the rest of the way, shaking my head at how I could be so clumsy to miss a whole bench with my ass bugged me. I have fallen too many times this year already. I told myself to be more careful in the future.
Finally seated I got teary-eyed. Not for myself but for the people that walked by me, all without masks, and never even asked if I was okay or if they should call 911 to help me. They had seen a person fall, turned their heads away, and kept on walking.
I was in shock. I am still in shock. The photo of what I saw from the ground, of the backs of people walking away, is etched into my brain for all eternity.
hu·man·i·ty
/(h)yo͞oˈmanədē/
noun
the human race; human beings collectively.
"appalling crimes against humanity"
humaneness; benevolence.
"he praised them for their standards of humanity, care, and dignity"
I live in a small town. A place where strangers say 'Good Morning' or 'Hi!' when passing someone on a sidewalk. A place where six months ago if told someone fell around a group of people and no one stopped to even ask if they needed help, I would have been there arguing against this ever happening.
The human trait of survival is ingrained in all of us.
A person's humanity is what makes up who a person is.
I understand people being scared. I understand people putting their health first. I do not have an issue with this concept in any way, shape, or form. What I do have a problem with is looking back at history and wondering if this is how events of horrendous magnitudes, such as concentration camps came to be.
The loss of worldwide humanity starts with one person falling or being taken away while every person who witnesses this event looks the other way. The instinct to survive, under any circumstances, kicks in.
We all have free will. It is the gift we were given to make choices in finding our life path. Ten people on Friday evening July 17th, 2020 chose to look away. In one small American town, ten people chose survival over humanity.
This is a bigger issue than whether someone has a mask on or not.
If this is going to be Earth's new 'Normal' I do not want any part of it.
Be very careful what you wish for.
Help someone smile today. It can not hurt you.
Snook
All photos are mine unless otherwise stated
Awww... My love 😔 Im so sorry this happened to you.
That experience would make me all teary as well... Like you for the lack of compassion for others.
I to belive good in all people and I often are called naive by my friends.
But everyone deserves a chance and you cant judge someone without knowing them... Many does just by one look.... So sad.
I would totally pick you up and make sure you were ok, maby helping you home or whatever you need 💗
I still belive there are People Who do good and cares, but I also realized how the communities are changing.
Like before letting someone go ahead of you in the line at the mall was a common thing.
Today when I do it People look at me like Im a alien, same thing if I get some plastic bags over that I don’t need and ask if anyone needs one.
They look at me so strange but then they are grateful and tells me....
This NEVER happens.
Engaging and communicate... Eye to eye is the only way to get to know people for real.
All media most People are occupied with don’t give you The love of a HUG... Compassion... Touch.
Still... I belive it can change 😉
Wanna know why?
Cause I know YOU and you are like me 😘💋 caring alot and feeling everything.
You are one of those persons that gives me hope that Im not a alien for beliving... Hoping 💋
Sorry you had to go through that experience still.... I got you ❣️
I LOVE YOU 💗💗💗💗
I LOVE YOU TOO!! HUGS
and now I am off to sleep. Be safe!! The world needs you!!
Have a good night and sweet Dreams my friend 💫😴🌛
Hope you get some good rest.
The world need both of us 😘 and I am SO Lucky to have you in my life 💗
When I'm some place where everyone is wearing a mask, I find myself looking at people's eyes more than I ever did. A few months ago, I saw a lot of fear in those eyes. Now, they mostly look tired. Maybe they're tired from the fear. Or, maybe they're tired of the fear. I know I am.
There is a spiritual battle being waged by those who know the power of fear and wish to keep people isolated and faceless even when surrounded by others. While I still have hope for humanity, I've decided my faith is reserved for only one.
I miss you like I'm missing a lot of the people I care about. Please stay safe; but, remember to always continue being you. May God bless this planet. It certainly could use it.
THIS! This is what I am talking about.
This is what people need to stop and realize and not be sheep that just follow in fear.
I am the only way I know how to be. It took me over a week to be able to write this post. to get what happened wrapped around my brain. The whole thing scares me more than the pandemic.
Let us pray some good comes out of this. but being quiet is not the answer.
I love you @snook. I am here crying 😭
I'm sorry I wasn't there. I wish people would wake up and choose to be part of a better world. I miss you.
Enough about me.
God Bless you Mom. Hope to travel to visit you soon.
I love you too HUGS and miss you so much!
I also know you are in the safest place you can be for right now. That is all that matters to me.
Just make sure you live with your eyes wide open to the changes in the world and how one small voice can help change things for the better.......
It's a poor reflection on that part of the community this happened but don't completely chalk it up to the mask wearing or not wearing.
Some time ago, long before COVID, I saw a video of a study that was done on a busy street. Over the course of several days at the same time so roughly the same amount of people around an actor/actress took a fall. The bias so often seen when people are in distress came out. The younger, prettier, more able had more help than they could handle jump to assist while the older and/or more poorly dressed were largely avoided.
Some may have looked away over the mask, some over their biases, some who thought you would be too embarrassed and some just plain didn't give a damn and didn't want to put themselves out.
None of those reasons are excuses for ignoring someone in need.
The only reason wearing a mask was brought up was because of the elder man and his very nicely worded lecture to me on wearing a mask. I agreed with everything he said. I do not get out of the house enough, walking, to think to bring a mask with me and I should. As should others.
It was more to show how just grabbing your phone is not enough. Why I chose to not go any closer to the crowd and music. From where I was sitting was a city block away from where the music was playing.
In the story, I say that those other 10 people did not have masks on either.
I am not blaming this on wearing a mask or not.
It is not about the mask.
It is about the pandemic and how the media slowly has scared so many people.
It is to show that when people are scared over a period of time how easy it is to change how people think.
There were enough people of a wide demographic that saw what happened yet they all turned away.
The area I was also in is a place where a short walk can last 2 hours because so many people use to stop and talk to 'strangers'. I looked the same as I do now when this use to happened.
The pandemic should have people very mindful of taking proper precautions. They are doing their job to spread the word. But not to the point that someone in distress is ignored. As I said, the tendency to avoid helping people depending on certain demographics was present long before COVID.
So while it may have an influence, it's not the whole problem. The whole problem is people need to see and react the same for everyone.
Even if people were all that nervous of coming in contact, they could have at least called for help for you. One thing to just forget to bring a mask and you were doing the right thing trying to sit away from others. It's the safer move for you.
I don't get it. How can doing the right thing be contingent on wearing a mask or not wearing a mask or any freaking thing? It CAN'T.
Small town, big town, city, country. None of that makes it right or even plausible. I actually fear for our humanness.
I wish I had some words of wisdom or comfort. I don't. It just stinks and that's all there is to it. Sorry it had to be you, but if it weren't you you would have at least made sure the person was all right.
Thank You in more ways than you know for your comment.
Maybe it DID happen to me because I have a platform, though small in the grand scope of things, to bring light to what is happening to normal everyday people without them knowing it.
so while you did not think you gave me any advice..... You gave me the best advice I could have gotten and lightened how I feel about what happened.
THANK YOU!! Many HUGS sent your way!!
Some people are just scum.
Some are. Yes.
I'm sorry for your experience and what you went through. This pandemic has brought out the worst in people and everywhere you look you see selfishness rather than selflessness. Like you said, it's understandable to be scared but then when it comes to helping out a person in a dire need it's imperative we put people at the back of our mind. Hopefully you can forgive and forget.
@tipu curate
Upvoted 👌 (Mana: 0/12)
forgive.....yes.
Forget....... No
and no one should forget how easy it is to turn and look away. Someday that person in need could be you.
Sad indeed!
Wondering are these people so scared now and look only for them self?
Wish you all the best, and I do belive there are still some nice pips out there, that will help someone when he fall, although probably a minority.
It seems that way. That scares me more than the pandemic to be very honest.
This is the real pandemic. A cultural destruction. All our systems are based on trust.
Hope everything is fine with you....the whole world is changing, say it the call of nature or end of humanity...people concerning about own and getting mean is getting normal....may the pandemic effect or selfishness due to busy life
If we lose our humanity we lose all.
Slowly it's degrading...
I know.........
That is what made me cry and still does.
Hello lovely lady! :D
I'm sorry that you had a fall and can't believe nobody even said "Are you okay?" or "Do you need help?", it's a sad commentary on the world we live in now. If I'd been there I'd have tried to help you us, even with my bad back, we would have managed. :D I'm glad you weren't badly hurt, falls are more dangerous as we age, believe me I know from personal experience, and we take so much longer to recoup from them too, oh joy. :D
Take heart though, I too know there are a lot of people out there that would have helped you had they been around, unfortunately you ended up around those people that are either too scared or too self-absorbed to be there for you... You know next time you decide to do something like that you should make sure you're surrounded by better people, LOL! :D Just kidding, no more falling for you missy. :D We can't afford for you to get hurt, we need you and your smile. :D
God bless you and your wonderful family. :D Have an awesome day! :D
This! I can understand not wanting to get close to a person. What I can not understand is not even asking someone if they should call 911........
and Yes, not liking how MUCH the word falling has been coming out of my mouth this year.
and I do know so many good people like you that I know would help. We just need to be louder to be heard over the dark to remind people to still be caring humans.
Amen lovely lady. :D Amen. :D
I love this
Thank You!!
HUGS
I often tell myself something along the lines of: My faith in humanity might be broken but at least my faith in myself is not broken!
You are correct. At the end of the day, we all have to look into the mirror at who we are and hopefully love what we see.
🤠
One video that I watched recently, was:
& maybe it will help put things back into perspective for you too.
Hang in there mate.
HUGS
Reals
We wear no masks where I live especially not in the open air, we sometimes laugh when someone falls on his/her butt but we help when it looks seriously. Keep up the faith as these are confusing times for all whether you fear the flu or not.
exactly! as it should be.
Thank you for your great comment!
This post has received a 100.00% upvote from @fambalam! Join thealliance community to get whitelisted for delegation to this community service.
Thank You!
I would have helped, if I knew you or not. I was thinking about that today in how this particular section of history is breeding a mass disconnect with personal interaction. I hope your ass is ok. Want me to kiss it?🤣😘🤗
well now that you called me F'kn Brilliant (hear that @jackmiller?) I can not say mean things about my A$$ LOLL
the sad part is, How disconnected will we all become before it is too late......
Sad and kind of disappointing and scary too. You should move to Tennessee so if you miss the seat again, we can pick you up🤗😜
My mind is going in so many directions at once.
I don't know what else to say, so I'll just leave this: