In the long ago, when we were young and energetic, my husband and I agreed to travel to New Orleans in a caravan with my brother on the spur of the moment. We had little time to pack some extra clothes and head out of town after dark. Since the drive from Houston was about five hours long we realized that we would be arriving at our destination in the middle of the night.
Somehow we were not the least bit worried about becoming drowsy or finding ourselves running out of gasoline in a small town where everything closes up not long after the sun goes down. We were on a grand adventure that pulled us down the highway without a care in the world.
Everything went well until we suddenly had to stop behind a long line of cars. At first there seemed to be no reason for the delay but then we noticed people combing through the underbrush on the side of the road. As we scanned the area we saw a chair broken into pieces, some children’s toys, and clothes lying on the branches of small trees. It was a curious and ominous site.
My husband exited from the car to see what was happening as did my brother who was just ahead of us. They came back to report that a vehicle pulling a travel trailer had somehow careened off of the road. The people wandering in the weeds were searching for the members of the family who had been in the car and apparently had been thrown out into the darkness. Soon my brother and husband would join them, disappearing into the darkness.
I remember bursting into tears as I thought of the poor souls whose wreckage was strewn all around us. I prayed that everyone would be safely found. The wait in that traffic jam lasted for what seemed hours as the highway patrol and civilians alike worked diligently to find and identify anyone who might have been hurt. I stayed with my children who by then were sleeping peacefully in the back seat of our car. I watched the unfolding drama with growing anxiety coupled with relief as people were brought out one by one on stretchers still very much alive.
I was impressed by the total devotion to the emergency that kept the search and rescue process going with so much cooperation and concern. Nobody seemed angry to be stuck on the crowded road that was not moving for miles. Eventually we learned that the members of the family had all been found. We would never know if all of them had made it out alive but I did see men carrying youngsters who were crying, leading me to hope that they would eventually be okay.
When the law officers finally asked us to leave the rest of the investigation to them, everyone got back inside their cars and drove away as did we. I felt quite unnerved as we continued on our journey. I could still see the wreckage, the members of the family and the kind men and women who instinctively worked tirelessly in the rescue efforts. I prayed that everyone who had been injured would survive without any kind of permanent damage to their bodies or their psyches. I marveled at the instinctive goodness of all of the people who had rallied to help.
I have witnessed the kindness of humans many times over the decades but that particular moment is etched in my mind with the clearest details. I only need think of it and it feels as though I am on that scene once again. It had an everlasting effect on my soul. On the one hand the vision of the violent wreckage illuminated in the shadows of darkness was so haunting. On the other hand the instantaneous reaction of the people searching for the victims in tall weeds and under an inky sky was uplifting. It felt as though I had witnessed what makes humans so incredibly self sacrificing in times of need. There was total unity of purpose without need for leaders or directions. Everyone understood the job that needed to be done.
That moment in time was horrifying. I instantly identified with the people whose trip down the highway had been so suddenly interrupted by tragedy. I thought of how terrifying it would be if my own daughters had been flung into the matted jungle of weeds to a space where who knows what might have harmed them. I hoped that in a similar circumstance there would be good people to search for them and help them just as I had witnessed on that long ago night. Somehow in that moment I knew that there always would be kindness in their hours of need.
We never know when something terrible will happen to us or to a member of our family. I’ve had some minor brushes with danger and on every occasion I have witnessed brave souls offering solace without hesitation. It seems to be part of our DNA and it is that very aspect of our natures that keeps me feeling positive even when situations seem to be quite uncertain or dreary. Call me a cockeyed totally naive optimist but I will always believe that when the situation demands it, there will always be heroes among us. Look around and I think you will find them just as I have.
All It Takes Is A Little Love 