Selfless Service

The other day as I was getting out of my car at the Stop and Shop, I heard a terrible screeching sound behind me.
There was an SUV that had plowed into a small car, and was pushing it across the parking lot. The car was brought to a stop when it hit a wall. The SUV was relentless as it continued its' attack on the small car as if it could drive right through it. The tires on the SUV spun violently and filled the air with a black and acrid smoke.

As I dialed 911, My first reaction was, "Oh my God, there is a crazy person trying to kill someone with his car!" After getting a better look at the driver, I saw that his head was tipped back and his arms were in a rigid position which appeared to be the result of seizure. His foot must have been locked onto the gas pedal which propelled the car forward at a very high speed.

With the ambulance on it's way, I thought, "What can I do to help?" My thoughts of assistance were thwarted by the thought, "What if I am wrong about the seizure and that actually is a crazy man using his car as a weapon? I also worried that even if it was a seizure, trying to stop an out of control car was way too dangerous for me.

As I stood frozen in fear, two men ran past me and toward the SUV. They approached the dangerous scene despite the risk of harm to themselves. Several others were running toward the scary scene as well.
Without hesitation, one man used his elbow to break the SUV's window. Another man reached in and put the car in park. As they attended to the unconscious victim, the ambulance approached and took over.

As the two heroic men walked towards me to go back to their normal lives, I was humbled.

I felt a rush of gratitude fill my heart as I looked into their courageous and caring eyes. I reached out my hand and said, "Thank you." I wanted to give them something for their selfless service, but I could only give them my gratitude. It seemed like a meaningless gesture compared to the meaningful act I had just witnessed. 

Seeing the courage and selfless devotion of people has the ability to change our hearts. 

My heart changed that day. 

Not only was I grateful that the kind strangers got a dangerous situation under control, but I was grateful for the reminder of the innate goodness in people. This beautiful act of caring brought to my awareness the fact that we are much more dependent on each other than we sometimes want to believe. This truth proves to me the interconnectedness of all beings.

According to author Phillip Moffitt in his article called Selfless Gratitude, "practicing gratitude consistently leads to a direct experience of being connected to life and the realization that there is a larger context in which your personal story is unfolding." 

Practicing gratitude for the people that you know and love is one thing, but becoming openly and regularly grateful for the people you may not know takes commitment and thoughtfulness. Making a conscious effort to have gratitude for those whose service touches your life directly or indirectly, will remind you that each and every one of us has an important part in the human existence as a whole.

With gratitude for the women and men of the US military in mind, I share this poem by Trish Z.

"A SALUTE TO OUR SOLDIERS"
I see you standing among them all
Standing so strong ,proud and tall
The world looks at you, but does not see
Everything you sacrifice to keep us free

I'm here to say, to let you know
That you are loved, even if it doesn't show
You fight for our hopes,dreams,and liberty
You fight for our freedom...... A hero to be

We want you to know, your never alone
For we are waiting, for you to come home
But the hardest thing for a person to be
Is you.. A SOLDIER, fighting
To keep us free

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