To the Editor:

Could someone please tell me when showing compassion to another human being became a rare commodity?

We are a world so afraid of what we do, how we do it, when we do it, to whom we try to help, that we just don’t do anything at all, so afraid of the repercussions. The other afternoon I was stranded on state Route 3 with a flat tire. Picture this: a rainy afternoon, a woman alone, three way flashers on, trunk of the car up, tires scattered around me, and me being the gullible person I sometimes am, really thought someone would stop to offer help, or offer to call for help, but in that half hour of time many, many people drove by me AND NOT ONE PERSON STOPPED TO OFFER HELP. Not one person. The icing on that cake was when a tow truck driver saw me and continued on his way. My first instinct when I see someone in need is to stop and offer assistance, even at what it might cost me. We have become a nation so afraid of offering assistance because we don’t want to be sued, harmed or yelled at for offering help, that we have lost the one important thing that makes us human: Compassion. It’s a sad world we live in when animals show more love and compassion than humans. When I am feeling lonely, sad or hurt, my dog is the first one to come to my side. She just sits with me to cheer me up. Does it cost her anything? NO. Does she have to spend tons of money on me? NO. Does she even have to speak a word? NO. How is it that animals know something us humans don’t: that having compassion for another human being doesn’t cost a thing. Giving and getting compassion is free, and to those who give it, it makes you happy, and to those who receive it, it can change your whole perspective on life. So remember the next time you drive by a stranded person, ask yourself, if that was my mother, sister, daughter, aunt or grandmother, wouldn’t you want a kind stranger to show compassion and offer assistance? So to all of you whom drove by me that rainy Wednesday afternoon, on your way to God knows where, I hope you arrived safely, and in case you are wondering how my story turned out, well I called someone, who thank God still has what is missing in most of us: compassion; and as always he came and rescued me ­­– my wonderful husband. And the next time he does something that upsets me, I am going to pay it forward, ignore it, and show him some Compassion.

Cynthia Kent

Bloomingdale