After a long day shopping In an air conditioned complex to escape the Melbourne heat, I decided to exit the centre, taking a shortcut outside to the cab ? rank. However, after being assured by the store assistant that the route was accessible, I soon realised that it wasn’t. In fact, after dragging my exhausted body and lugging my shopping bags in the humidity up the long ramp, I realised that the concrete slope only led to a set of stairs. I assumed that there would be another accessible detour at the stair’s base but to my disbelief, negotiating the stairs was my only way out! Too tired to return back down the ramp, I asked fellow shoppers to help lift my walking frame & bags.
The first lady just kept walking, ignoring my plight.
The second lady explained that she had, “too many bags already “ holding up her David Jones tiny plastic bag in one hand & her mobile phone in the other.
Thankfully, the third guy kindly obliged, carrying my frame & my bags up the stairs easily. Exhausted & frustrated but very grateful, I then caught my cab.
Shades of the Good Samaritan story?
It’s so easy to focus on what is ‘wrong’ about a certain situation & blame another’s attitude or actions (or lack of) in enabling us to navigate the obstacle better. However, this situation demonstrated to me how the ‘kindness’ of one stranger made it all so much easier. Unfortunately we can’t miraculously change a situation or how another deals with it, But focussing on the positive aspects is in our control. Kindness counteracts ignorance.