I saw something today.
That seems rather nondescript, admittedly, but what I saw made my day and served as a reminder that, as a rule, people are good.
Several weeks ago, we ran an article about a local woman who was living in difficult conditions in a local apartment complex. She’s tried for two years to get repairs done so her apartment could become livable, but up until recently, with no success.
The lady has an autistic son, and the two of them were relegated to the den and kitchen of their two-bedroom apartment because of an infestation of bedbugs and flooding.
The good news is apartment management finally came through on its promise to move her to a different apartment. That didn’t solve every problem, but it was a big step.
Back to the point of this column...
Several readers of the Franklin Free Press were impacted by the lady’s plight. I had some calls and many comments of support from folks wanting to help.
But sometimes good intentions remain just that—intentions.
I’d like to tell you about the actions of another lady in Russellville, one who will remain nameless because that’s the way she wants it.
After she read about the lady and her son and their problems, this reader reached out to Rep. Robert Aderholt’s office to see if the congressman could look into the situation, as the apartment complex is federally funded.
Additionally, she wrote a heartfelt card of support letting the lady know there were many prayer warriors lifting her up along with her son.
She enclosed two crosses in her hand-written card that she delivered to my office last week after she asked if I would get the card to the lady.
And by the way, the card also contained $500 to help the lady and her son through this difficult time.
As the lady read the card, her eyes filled up with tears. Her voice cracked as she grasped the reality that someone (a complete stranger) cared so much about her family to reach out with words of support as well as monetary support.
“Please tell whoever she is, God bless her, and she’ll never know how much she means to my son and me,” the lady told me.
People do nice things every day. But in this case, as Paul Harvey used to say, what’s important is the rest of the story.
The lady who sent the card has some serious health problems of her own. She is confined to a wheelchair and requires oxygen to breathe. She doesn’t leave home much these days, and she’s resigned to the fact that her health likely won’t improve.
This lady didn’t want any notoriety for her kind action. She asked only that we deliver the card for her.
So many people in today’s world are quick to complain and bemoan their plight in life while they remain oblivious to how blessed they truly are. This makes the lady’s actions all the more special. Instead of feeling sorry for her situation, she reached out to help another, asking nothing in return.
I saw something today. And it reminded me not to be too cynical. It reminded me there are really people out there who put the needs of others ahead of their own.
To her I say thank you, and may God bless you as you have blessed others.
