Do Unto Others

Yesterday, on the way to town, we were heading in on one of the by-ways. Traffic was extremely congested and heavy- I'm not sure why.

Hubby was having to use all his concentration on the road and the crazy drivers, but as we rounded a bend, I saw off to the side an elderly couple on the side of the road beside their car. The lady was standing behind the car with a walking stick looking around and the gentleman was really struggling with the lug nuts on the car.
Both looked like they could snap at the slightest  bend.
I felt my heart tug and I said to hubby "Oh bless their hearts." He asked who and I told him "The elderly couple back on the side of the road trying to change their tire." But by this time we were a couple blocks away and nowhere to turn around safely and easily. So he drove on and we continued our day as planned.

But it really bothered me. I mean it REALLY bothered me. All day I just couldn't stop thinking about them. Had that been either one of my boys I was with, they wouldn't have hesitated to just pull over and park the car and run back on foot to offer assistance to those people. And it wouldn't have mattered their age. If anyone looked like they were in trouble and struggling on the side of the road, they would have stopped. End of. I have been with them several times when they have done so. Every time I thought about them I had to bite my lip to keep from bursting into tears.
Maybe had we stopped and offered assistance to them they might have got offended(as Elderly often do) for insinuating they couldn't take care of themselves, or maybe they would have said Thank you- we are waiting for roadside assistance to show up- or maybe they would have said Thank you- they would very much appreciate it. But at least we would have offered and if they had been insulted- well, that would have been fine- my conscience would have been clear.
But we didn't- and it's not. I'm still fighting back tears and hanging my head in shame that I didn't insist we go back and offer assistance. We Southerners just dont look the other way. It's not how we were brought up.

To the couple - I offer an apology for not stopping and offering assistance as I should have.
To my parents and grandparents, I offer an apology for looking the other way and not following my upbringing.
And to God, I ask forgiveness for not doing unto others as I would have them do unto me.
I'm positive that Karma will come back to take her revenge someday- and I will surely deserve it.