The Need for a Tow and The Philanthropic Spirit

Seemingly these days, only those with extreme views, who engage in outlandish behavior, or who shout the loudest are worthy of making the news or being promoted on social media.  It is hard to remember that there are kind, gentle, folks in this world who care about their neighbors and are willing to go out of their way to help them.

𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱.  𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.

This morning, though, I had an experience that reminded me of that caring, community-centered philanthropic spirit.

I was at my favorite international grocery store at 7:10 AM, to purchase ingredients for my weekend baking.  When I came out of the store and went to start my Nissan Rogue, it was seemingly possessed and had gone, well, rogue.  𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘇𝘇𝗲𝗿, 𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳𝗳… 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗱.

I was sure the car needed to be towed.  AAA was called, and I was given an ETA of 45 minutes. So, I lifted the hood to display the international signal that the car was experiencing problems (the extent of my mechanical knowledge and skill) and stood outside in the cold, nearly freezing rain, to wait for the tow truck and to ensure that no one parked in the spot next to mine.  I wanted to provide the tow technician with more room to maneuver.

While outside in the rain for what ended up being 75 minutes, nine shoppers drove or walked by and asked if I needed a jump or if I wanted to wait for the tow by sitting in their car.  I could tell that some of them specifically diverted their route in order to approach me.  They were sincere in their efforts to help, and I knew that, in doing so, were putting themselves at-risk for possibly delaying their own day's activities.

➡️ Truly, I was moved.  𝗜 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀: 𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 "𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙."

Of course, we frequently think that charities are the recipient of that love for humankind.  My experience today, however, was a reminder that 𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗽𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲.

When the car died, my first response was an expletive, and I used it to denote frustration with ending the year on such a note.

When my partner came to pick me up after the tow truck left, the first thing I told him: "That experience was a wonderful way to end the year and to start the new one.  My faith in the philanthropic spirit and ordinary people who would never make the news has been lifted."

𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿!