Amid all of today’s turmoil, kindness is still going strong

I think last week’s column requires a bit of a follow-on, so here we go.

I get paid, basically, to look at what’s happening around us and then say what I think about it all.

Lord knows there’s enough going on just now to keep anyone who does this busy for just about ever.

For instance:

Our presidential candidates seem to have forgotten that there’s something called Google out there and that statements/facts/claims/fibs and whoppers can now be checked by just about anyone with access to the Internet.

Down in Waycross, Ga., a group of third-graders (yep, you read that right) just got arrested for planning an attack on their teacher.

Then there was a recently released study which revealed that, in many major cities, fewer than half of the seniors in high school graduate. In Detroit, it’s lower than 25 percent.

It gets better.

Gas prices are through the roof. Food prices are following. There’s a war on. The economy’s in the tank. The housing market stinks and my wife now tells me that I’m going to get a cell phone whether I like it or not.

However, while all of this is going on, I had a heart attack that put me flat on my back.

One day, I may tell you the full story about how, two days after being released, I was back in intensive care after having “overdone” things a bit at home. This led to my having a very gruff cardiologist lean over my bed, pull down his reading glasses, and begin the following conversation:

“What part of ‘Take it easy’ did you not understand?”

“Uhh…”

“Let me put it this way: Do you enjoy playing Russian Roulette?”

“No …”

“Well, in the past four days, you’ve spun the cylinder twice and came up ‘click’ both times. Want to try again?”

“No.”

“Then, stop being stubborn and when I send you home this time, take it easy.”

So, for the past few days, I’ve had time to think about a few things.

Like I said, I could spend this entire column on subjects that would stir the pot, get blood pressure readings up, start heads wagging, or what have you. Things are a bit ragged these days and sometimes our daily routine seems like nothing more than riding down a rough, narrow road that’s poorly maintained, confusing, crowded, and has no exits.

But, even on that road, you sometimes come around a corner and find something that takes your breath away.

I’ve had that pleasure this past week.

Whenever you doubt that there’s still good out there, call me and I’ll point out some of the things I’ve seen.

I’ll tell you about how I’ve seen people go out of their way to pitch in and help others. About how they’ve dropped everything to respond to disasters. About how they’ve donated time and money to help someone rebuild a house. About how they open doors for others, help someone change a tire, or drive a stranded driver to a gas station. About how they carry someone’s bags to a car or fill collection plates at church. About how they bake food for the sick, visit friends in a hospital, or give blood when asked. About how they do the thousand and one things that never get reported but make life livable.

Call me and I’ll tell you about how these people far outnumber all of the doofuses, dingbats, loons, nitwits and charlatans we see or hear about in the news.

So, if you want to know where all of the good is these days, just look into a mirror. There, I guarantee, is one piece of it. And, today, if you’re out and about and you happen to see something that drives this point home, just stop and enjoy the scene.

I was reminded of all of this over the past week when I received a flood of e-mails and phone calls that I never expected and which made a very tough situation a lot easier to handle.

For that, I owe many of you much more than the only two words I can offer.

Thank you.

Larry Simoneaux lives in Edmonds. Comments can be sent to larrysim@clearwire.net.

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