They Didn't Stop to Help

They kept on walking. I laid on the dirt trail, wondering what had happened to me. One minute I was running freely, enjoying the fresh air and glory of the day, and the next moment I found myself collapsed on the ground, covered in dirt and pain. It felt like slow-motion as I fell from a confident running posture, to an embarrassing, "I've fallen and I can't get up" position.

Before I fell, I noticed a young couple not too far in front of me. As I went from on my feet, to on my face, I wondered if they would notice me and come to my aid.

They kept on walking.

I made a loud sound as I hit the ground, and some words escaped my mouth that might not have been very flattering. (Nothing too colorful flew from my lips. I verbally painted my pain with just mildly colorful words -- pastel profanity?) I was forced off my feet by a large rock, causing me to lose my balance, and I landed with most of the force on my right hand and arm. I thought surely the couple would have turned at my loud unflattering noise, and the lady did... she did turn around. I looked right at her from my face-plant position, I thought surely she would come to see if I needed help.

They kept on walking.

Perhaps the noise I made was louder in my head, than it was when it left my mouth? This is very likely possible, because things are often exaggerated in my head. (I'm a writer, so I am literally creating a story in my head, as life happens to me.) However, I clearly caused enough ruckus to cause this lady to turn around and check out the commotion, and I am pretty sure she saw me there on the ground.

They kept on walking.

As I realized fully what had happened to me, I slowly got myself off the ground, and inspected my wounds. I had tiny rocks stuck in my hands, my knees were bruised and bloodied, my pants were ripped, my shoulder banged-up, and my wrist felt like it might be sprained. I was out there on the trail all alone, except for the couple that I could see right ahead of me.

They kept on walking.

After my self-inspection, I began to cry.

Despite my pain, I still had to get home. I started to walk, to see how much damage I had done. I was sore, but I could still move and even jog slowly (runners learn to run through all kinds of pain), though I had to move my right hand very gently, as it seemed to hold the most pain. I started my journey home; my pride damaged more than anything else. I felt my physical pain with each step, but more than my physical discomfort, I just could not stop thinking about how the only people who could have helped me, did not stop to see if I needed help.

They just kept on walking.

Now, I am not calling-out this couple in any way. They are random person one and two. I have no idea who they were, and I never will. They are even besides the point of this whole falling-on-my-face fiasco. And, let's face it, I could have screamed wildly for help, and I am sure they would have come. (Asking for help is another life lesson entirely.) They were mere objects in the lesson I was taught. I hold no ill-will towards random person one and two. It is very likely that they really did not see or hear me; I will give them the benefit of the doubt. Surely, if they would have seen me there laying on the ground in pain, they would have come to help.

They would have stopped walking.

I learned a valuable lesson today. Sometimes I learn life lessons in strange and painful ways, but sometimes the pain also makes the lesson stick. This particular lesson stuck like the bloodied rocks in my hands.

Life lesson for today:

If I see someone who needs help, do not keep on walking.