As we drove down my steep driveway and passed the mailbox, I heard a loud sound and felt a jolt on the left side. 1000 yards further, things didn’t sound right and seconds later the “low tire” message appeared!

We pulled into the nearby gas station to discover the left rear tire completely flat! AND also discovered that my phone battery was dead! Then we embarked on the adventure of trying to replace our tire. Bill, whose eyesight is very poor, was lying on the concrete feeling his way while I flipped through two different manuals trying to locate the spare, the equipment and the jacking points on our wheelchair-converted van. We must have looked pretty vulnerable.

Two people noticed and stopped to help: a young woman who coaches girls’ soccer and a young man who works for the power company. They were exceedingly kind, helpful, and both refused a monetary reward. We did not discuss politics or religion, or any of the things that are causing such anxiety and division in our nation. We were all tapping into the best versions of ourselves amidst a minor crisis, and it felt good for the fully human me to connect with the fully human them. I think it felt good to them, too.

We all parted with some reassurance that people can and do live out of their full humanity.
Ah, the kindness of strangers! Blanche DuBois was onto something!

In wisdom and grace,

Rev. Ruth