Last night, on motorist assistance duty with the local police, I was once again reminded to be resilient, to be patient, to consider other’s circumstances before judging, and to be thankful that things are not worse. In one evening, we assisted with three events that got me thinking.

A motorist was stranded on a busy four-lane bridge over the interstate. She was hoping and praying that she could make it another 1/2 mile to the gas station. She didn’t, and her insurance-paid assistance service never came. She was there so long that her battery died just flashing the four-ways. One of our officers stayed with her, behind her car with his blue lights blazing, to protect her for about an hour, and we brought a bit of fuel to get her going. And, we used our battery jump box to restart her car. Her attitude? Pleasant. Her face? A smile. Was she upset? Not a bit. She was patient and kind in the face of adversity, and the very real danger in the darkness on that bridge. She was thankful, not for our service, but thankful in spite of the circumstances.

A motorist was driving on a very busy thoroughfare at night, going up a slight incline, just after crossing over the interstate, when his transmission failed. The car simply wouldn’t go. The engine ran fine, but the transmission was slipping. One of our officers was there for a while, and then our unit stayed there for about an hour waiting for a tow truck to come, long enough for two sets of emergency flares to burn out. The gentleman came to our unit to thank us, with a smile on his face, just glad that in spite of his trouble, things were going to be better. He took the time to walk back in the cold to our car, to say “thanks,” even though he could have jumped in the wrecker and headed on. His personalized license plate suggested his profession–Reverend.

At a very busy T shaped intersection of two four-lane streets, an accident. Three cars, a typical rear end crash. As we arrived, first on scene, we saw a civilian directing traffic away from the danger. Who was this guy, risking life in the twilight and traffic? The gentleman whose car had been smashed from the rear. The wind was knocked out of him, but after recovering, he knew there was more danger if he didn’t act. There he was, waving his arms to alert oncoming traffic to slow down and move over. The young driver, so upset at her smashing into another car, tried hard to maintain her composure. She worked through what we see time and time again, that flood of adrenalin that brings muscle shakes and emotion. She checked on people and was concerned for others well-being. The fellow with the most damage (always the middle car) was on the way to the hospital to be with his daughter, who had just given birth to a preemie at less than five pounds. He had already had two back surgeries, in the past, and here was rear-ended. His attitude? It’ll be okay. Was he upset with the young driver? No. He maintained a sense of calm even though he was not really himself at that moment. The lady in the first car? Nearly three decades of driving school buses with nary a scratch on a bus. Her first accident. She was in a brand new car, and the bumper had just a blivet on the bumper from a license plate bolt. She made sure to go to the young driver and encourage her, and remind her that life is filled with lessons.

As we go through life, we make choices in how we respond. Those choices are made based on our beliefs and our worldview. If we have a firm foundation, if we are certain of our future, the craziness that we all face becomes less crazy. The curveballs fly a bit straighter. The load we bear is somehow lessened. My prayer and hope is that I become more and more able to respond in love, in kindness, and in faith when I face these situations. May this be your prayer as well.