The Sin of Indifference - our Social Responsibility Choice?

Six weeks ago tomorrow I had rotator cuff surgery.   To anyone who has been through it not only is the surgery difficult the recovery is long and painful.  I am fortunate to have the help I need on a daily basis for most things, but a recent solo trip to Stop and Shop reminded me of just how invisible people can make you because they are in their own little world or because you need help and they choose not to see your need.  The defense of not seeing need is their excuse for not being invoved and in their mind erases any sin of being cold and indifferent.

At the moment, I can only use my left arm and of course I am right handed.  For weeks my right arm  has been blanketed in a full sling I am also wrapped in what they call a sloth which is a 6 inch thick fabric band around your arm and body that has ends of velcro.  It seals you up like a mummy from Egypt's tomb and renders you helpless, which of course is the point of it all.

Not one person passing by me stopped to offer help of any kind.  I was handling the shopping cart with one arm, lifting bags into my car outside and needed some help with some of the items I was trying to pick up from bottom shelves and put into my cart.  For me the experience was physically draining and in retrospect, I should have had someone with me, however it's not a perfect world with timing and that is when you would think the kindness of a stranger would be more apparent.

It put in perspective the daily struggles of our elderly, our disabled - they live with their handicap daily.  My disability is short term and I can look forward to having my full range of motion and strength back in time and the luxury of doing for myself again.  Aging does not offer that benefit it actually works in reverse and health declines.

Social responsibility is something we face every day.  Somewhere in your daily life you pass a person who is elderly, disabled, post-surgery, has an illness or maybe just having a bad day physically.  As a community of people we would be best served to look for, and not ignore these individuals to see if our one randome act of kindness can make a difference.  Helping someone is a two-part choice.  First is to see the need, the second is to act.

We need to choose to SEE the need, then be prepared to act.  One random act can make two people's day - yours and theirs.

I have long felt the community as a whole has a part in caring for each other.  Community health centers have proven to improve the quality of life as well as the length of years.  It can be as simple as checking in on a neighbor who lives alone or giving a ride for a doctor's appointment; it can also be community health screenings, clinics, etc.  Many 55+ communities across the country are having health centers as part of their planning including everything from nursing on site to errand service.  But, in areas, such as Cheshire where this is not available the buck stops with each of us if we want to make life better for Cheshire residents.

Thinking outside of ourself is the beginning to a better life and community, and it starts with an individual's choice to see the need.