Helping a stranger
With eyes empty of emotion and a face colored with an
expression of anger and disgust... ur words slap me on the face: “R u crazy!.. Where
do u know this woman from... do u enjoy looking for problems! why did u help
her and do this to yourself!!..”
I silently look at you... and listen to the wisdom in your
words... with a bitter conquered smile...
I know how logical all that you say is... there is no point
in all the trouble that I had to go through because I chose to help this
stranger...
I know beyond doubt... it’s LOGICALLY WRONG... this is the
reality of the world we live in... The lesson our society teaches us... the
fear of others...and the wisdom in the lack of trust...
I question my values... trying to find what is right and
what is wrong...
I try to weigh my desire of being something good in the
world... of choosing to help for no reason... of choosing to do good...
regardless of the risk... and of the price I have to pay each time that I make
this choice..
I weigh my feeling of pain in your desire to convince me how
stupid and naïf I am...
I ask myself... Why do I help her..?
She’s dirty and smelly...
She’s a liar...
And she has an annoying character and attitude...
But yet... I help her...
Why?! This just doesn’t make sense…
This is the question you want answered...
This is why u judge me... why you look at me in disgust...
The “ Why” I do not know how to answer... There is no logic...
I can however try to tell you how I felt when I chose to act
this way...
A year ago... I was driving my car... aimless... desperate...
and alone...
I stopped at a red light... and to my right hand... I saw a
crippled woman fallen down... with tears in her eyes... and people helping her
up...
A girl approached my car... and asked me...
“Sir... can u please help this woman... she fell in the
street... can you take her home...”
Without hesitation... I said... yes...
This is how it started...
I took her home...
And since then...
She would call me from time to time asking for help...
Either for money...
Or help to buy a new bed...
Or to shovel snow at her door so that she can get out of the
house she’s trapped in...
And many times... if I could...
I would choose to help...
Why...
It simply felt like the human thing to do at the time...
I once saw her on the street in downtown... I talked with
her a bit... then a few feet after I left her...
A guy told me... don’t help this woman... She’s a crook... a
liar...
I looked at him and replied... she’s not lying about her
legs... she is crippled!
I saw in his eyes that my reply made him feel ashamed of
himself... he didn’t comment...
What is wrong with being human...?
With having a little compassion with those who need... even
if they are strangers... even if they are disgusting and dirty...
Each time I try not to look away...
I remember Jesus telling us the story of the Good Samaritan...
He never said it was easy for the Samaritan to help...
He never talked about the time he wasted to help the Jew...
about changing his direction... about whether or not he needed the money that
he chose to pay at the hotel for the well being of that total stranger...
He never said if the Jew he helped was a good or a bad man...
He never did... because it didn’t matter...
It didn’t matter if the stranger is good or bad...
It didn’t matter if helping him will do me good or bad...
Only one thing mattered...
That the world needs unjustified goodness...
The world needs the courage and the choice to want to do
good...
I am no saint... nothing even close to that... but... I try...
most of the time... to remain human... to recognize others... even when I don’t
like them that much... as humans...
I see no wrong in what I do... even when I know that there
is no logic in it...
I know that in your own way... U just want to see me hurt
myself less...
I just ask you this...
Please... Spare me the judgment in your words and ur eyes...
Don’t throw your contempt at my face...
You do not know how I am inside... and why I do the stupid
things I do...
