i pulled up to the store with my list in mind; disposable camera, toothpaste, phone tripod, etc, etc. what i imagined would be a rather quick trip to the store with a slight chance of wandering a few extra aisles quickly changed. never did i imagine what happened between stepping out of my car and entering the store building.

having grabbed my purse and turned to make my way inside i noticed what appeared to be a man laying on the ground. thoughts racing all at the same time as being frozen, i neared. would this person need CPR? would i be put to the test? dear lord, i just hoped that everything was okay. when i got where the man lay, i asked if he was okay as well as if he needed me to call anyone. at the same time I was waiting for his response i scanned the parking lot. it was dark, around 7:30pm on a sunday. not another soul in sight. i had to make sure he was okay. to my surprise he told me he was fine - that he has seizures and by his response i could tell he must have experienced them multiple times. still i could not let myself just leave him alone. it just wouldn’t have sat right. i asked again if there was someone i could call and anything i could do to which he informed me that his wife had been in the store using the restroom. as i waited while he got up from the ground he said to me, “thank you for caring - most people don’t” and all i could think is how could people not? how could they walk past and not do anything. those words held so much power because in them you knew that there were times when people had simply passed by while he lost control of his body. how terrible that must feel. how isolating and alone to be in need and people just pass you by.

sadly though things like this happen far too much. it’s not always as physical or something so visible. far too often do we pass by. whether it’s mental health issues, friends struggling in unhealthy relationships both with individuals and substances, rude people, the list goes on because well, “it’s not our place or it’s not our problem” and while yes, that might be true in some instances it is our place to care because as Lonely Ghost put it best:

“it’s cool to care.”

it’s cool to check on people. it’s cool to look out for people’s best interest. it’s cool to surprise them with something they love or something that reminds you of them just because. it’s cool to love and do nice things for people (even if) you don’t know them.

my trip to the store was not what i expected but there was so much more to it and while i don’t feel like i did much anything, which i am so glad the situation didn’t call for more, i think just the small act of checking in meant a lot more to him than i will every be able to know for sure. i just know it would have meant a lot to me if roles were reversed and that was me on the ground of the parking lot during a cold fall night at 7:30pm.

“thank you for caring - most people don’t” is something that will stay with me and honestly i hope that sticks with you too. i hope it reminds you to be the person who cares. please do not be the person who does not.

"don't withhold good from someone who deserves it, when it is in your power to do so." - proverbs 3:27

(and friends we all deserve it) ~