surprises, blisters and some lessons

So to those of you who have sent me mail [Joseph, Blue, Megan, and Leigh] I just want to take this time to say thank you. It has encouraged me when I really needed it!

So Sunday I dressed up in my vintage dress and part of the awesome outfit is my high heel shoes. BUT after church those shoes were a bad idea because I got some serious, i mean serious blisters on my feet. You may see a few pics on my FB page soon. But right now i am dealing with the consequences of trying to look awesome. (Princess, you would be proud.)

Today on our way back from a field trip run, some of the staff and I stopped at a corner like usual and noticed a group of people gathered right at the corner. I peered through the crowd and noticed a man lying on the ground with a bicycle between his legs. And when the crowd's parted i saw that he was clearly unconscious. Close to his head a puddle of blood began to pour out onto the black tar paved New York City street. His chest was slowly rising and falling. It looked just like a scene from law and order only this scene was real. Evidently this man was on his bike attempting to cross the street and collided with a car. People around said the car drove away. We arrived in the crowd just a few minutes after it happened because emergency people weren't there yet. When I saw this scene, it was as if someone punched me in my stomach and kept my heart from beating. My heart still hurts. Prayers flew up as I knew that was all I could do in that moment. Police officers arrived as we were leaving.

So as much as this situation hurt me, I realized something very enlightening about the human race. So many people say that they have given up on the human race, that people don't care about people and that compassion is no longer present. but after what I saw today I can make a statement against this claim. There was a group of people surrounding this man who was hit. A few who ran down the street and try to find some help, store workers coming out to help. Though this crowd of people probably didn't even know this man, they sacrificed their time, their energy and their well being to be there for him. And clearly they were not leaving. 21st Century good Samaritan? i don't know if that's how to interpret it. But the next time someone tells me not to smile at anyone in ny or not to look anyone in the eye because people here are just mean and rude, i think i will reject that advice. People are good. God created us to be compassionate and to care. and i saw that today. a block from where i live. hopefully you will be more attuned to see it too...