The Pendleton Times:
My work brings me to Franklin several times a year, which I truly enjoy. The latest visit last week enriched my warm feelings toward the town following an experience which I wanted to share with the good citizens of this community.
Following wonderful vegetable soup and a grilled cheese sandwich at The Korner Shop, I thought to take a walk to enjoy the nice evening. I did not get far around the block when I slipped on large gravel and ended on my weak knees. I barely had a moment to sulk about my circumstances, when a local lady I’m sure everyone knows as Violet saw ol’ me, an unusual sight sitting in the middle of a gravel lot, and offered help. She began to go retrieve the help of her son nearby when a truck of about six folks stopped and offered their assistance. Two of them had me back on my feet in a blink of an eye and I could not thank the kind folks enough as they quickly left as if it was no big deal to them, just part of the rhythm of any given day. Although I was not injured to the point of not being able to walk to my car, dear Violet insisted on driving me there, after retrieving ointment, bandages, and tape from her nearby office so I could tend to my knee the next several days. I offered to pay Violet for the supplies (and her kindness), but she refused and said that would be an insult; “this is just what we do here.”
Simple acts of kindness can have the biggest impact at times. With all that is troubling in the modern world, I felt the need to share one example of how some folks just do what they do to make the world a little more pleasant, one blessed act of kindness at a time. We may feel powerless at times to help a world full of troubles, but we can make a difference with each simple opportunity that comes before us.
I again thank Ms. Violet and the truck of unnamed Samaritans and will certainly bring a warmer feeling of association in my future visits to Franklin.
God bless.
Kathy McIntyre
