A girl named Mary Beth Talley was present when a shooter came into her church one day. Despite the dangerous situation, this senior found the nerve to not only hide herself but to also help hide another girl who suffered from Down syndrome.
It sounded like the 'right' sort of thing to do, and I wasn't too affected by this story until I considered being put in such a position myself. When bullets are shooting past, and my life is threatened, would I be able to move? Would I be able to break past that cloud of terror.?
That was when I realized that this girl really was extraordinary, because she found the courage to risk her own life to save another girl, one who was fighting her all the way. When I consider my own character, I can only see myself frozen, incapable of even twitching.
What affected me the most was this girl's words in response to praise. She said, "...I did the right thing because, why wouldn't I?" For keeping a cool head under fire, and for having such an instinctual understanding of what must be done, I admire this girl.
She could have died. She could have been crippled for life by a stray bullet. The struggling girl that she saved could have kicked her in the way of a bullet. Despite this, despite the thoughts that would have frozen me, she persevered, holding down the other girl at risk to her own safety, simply because it was the right thing to do. Forget fear, this girl knew what was the right thing to do and she did it.
If I am ever put through such an ordeal, I hope this girl's spirit will inspire me to break free of my own fear. I hope that I, too, can do the right thing to do.
What this girl did was small in terms of the entire world. she saved one girl, one life, one that even mentally ill. But then, she also helped save one family from grief. That, if anything else, is enough of a difference in this world.
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2 comments:
Yes - isn't it great to see that making a difference in the world doesnt have to be something like what Ghandi, or King, or Mandela did. It is the little things. Mary Beth made a choice and because of that choice someone else will live a long life and have the chance to experience much happiness and love. Imagine if everyone did this for JUST one other person in the world.... how cool would that be? don't let fear hold you back Cindy - it can cripple us and make us blind to the needs of others! You have within you an amazing spirit and you have already overcome so much that you have become an inspiration to me! Look for ways to help others, to be kind to others and to share a smile with those around you. Little acts of kindness are just as powerful as those big things we see. Never be afraid, never think the worse and never NOT do the right thing because it may be too hard or difficult!
Hi Cindy! I found your blog and I read it and I was inspired by your words. It's interesting to read about myself 9 years after the fact. It is interesting to see how people view what happened completely differently than I do! I was overcome by fear -- in my mind, I was running away from something -- I was running away from the attacker. I have never prayed so hard in my entire life. With God's strength alone was I able to survive. I'm a 26 year old high school English teacher now and I look at my students and love watching them grow and mature into young adults. I want you to know that it's ok to be afraid of things. It's ok not to know how you will react if something tragic happens -- most of the time we don't know until it happens. The only way we can save the world is one day at a time, one person at at time. You are right in this -- it's the little things that count!
God Bless!
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