Week 8: You can interpret this as an explanation.

[Ed Note: yes, unfortunately most of my posts will be of the back-dated kind. this occurred on Holy Thursday. did you have a good Easter?]

Whilst I was walking home today, I came across an old man of the white hair + walking stick variety who had fallen down by the side of the road. My first instinct was to stop and help him but as I stood there, I realized that there were at least 15 people already standing. As they were already helping him up the side of the curb, I decided to walk on. I figured that since there were already 15 people standing there giving him assistance, if I were to stop too it would probably turn it into a come-and-see spectacle and not exactly a needed helping hand.

I still felt guilty though, as if I was walking away and turning my back against someone who needed my help. Plus, with Good Friday just around the corner, I felt my catholic self scream out towards me to help the poor man for the love of God!

As my footsteps brought my further and further away from said old man, I found myself turning around ever so often to check if he was still ok and if the 15 people that I saw milling around him were still there or if they’ve moved on after they realized that there wasn’t really that much excitement and novelty in witnessing an old overweight man fall by the side of the road. As expected, the 15 people had dwindled to 5 but they were still there helping the man to his feet and across the road. That was when I knew that he would be ok, and I continued on my way albeit with a lighter heart.

What is the point of this narrative? There is no point, frankly. Sometimes, you don’t need a reason to relate a story, or to immerse yourself in grief, or to disappear. Sometimes, it happens just because.