A few weeks ago, I assumed my day would be no different than usual when I got on the bus to head to campus. As we turned out of the parking lot and stopped at a red light, suddenly, I was covered in a cold sweat and was trying my best to keep from vomiting. I knew I needed to get off that bus.

I pulled the cord and, as the bus stopped, I stumbled down the steps and let myself fall on the bench in the bus stop. I laid there in the cold and hoped whatever was happening would pass. It seemed as if it would, so I sat up and decided I had just gotten overheated, and the fresh air was enough to settle my panicky disposition.

I thought to myself, “I’ll just walk the rest of the way to school.” But after a few steps, I realized I needed to go to the ER. Luckily, I was on the medical school side of campus, so it wasn’t far to the ER. But that didn’t matter. My ears began to ring and suddenly my vision tunneled. The pain in my lower abdomen became so intense that I collapsed on the cold ground.

Four people walked by, and not one of them even looked twice. I was in excruciating pain, yards away from the Emergency Room entrance, yet no one stopped to help. A woman walked out of a building and I was able to grab her attention. Thankfully, she helped me into the building to get out of the cold, and dialed 911. I’m so glad I asked her for help, but it hurts my heart to know that I had to ask at all.

I got to the ER and, after being poked and prodded for a few hours, they determined that I had kidney stones that must have shifted, and that’s what caused the pain. I’m just fine.

But what if it was something more serious? What if I was unable to talk when that lady passed by and I finally asked for help?

In the parable of The Good Samaritan, Jesus teaches to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27)

Ask the Lord to make us alert to those in need around us.

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