In today’s world of global pandemics, protests, violence, natural disasters, and political unrest, we sometimes forget that there is still a lot of good in the world. One example is the dedicated healthcare workers and emergency personnel who risk their lives every day to care for patients with coronavirus. Another example is all of the people who have taken it upon themselves to make masks, gowns, and other personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, their friends, and neighbors, often at no charge. People are donating meals, money, and time to assist in any way they can during this time of crisis. Most nightly news programs end with a feel-good story about someone that has done a good deed, or is leading the charge for a good cause.
At Lutheran Services Carolinas, we have been promoting the “LSC Way” program. It is intended to make us all more aware of being better neighbors to everyone we come in contact with on a daily basis, including our fellow teammates, clients, and their families. In other words, we are to follow the “Golden Rule” of treating others as we would like to be treated.
If I am being honest, as I am sure many of you will agree, some days are better than others. As we move outside of our normal sphere of everyday life, it gets even more difficult. With all of the chaos in our world today, it is often easier, and frankly safer, to just keep our heads down, our blinders on, and just trudge onward.
The world is full of distractions. That is why I wanted to share a story about one of our teammates who demonstrates the true meaning of the LSC Way. On her way to work one morning, LSC Pharmacy Teammate Tina Marshall noticed an elderly woman, with her purse on her arm, walking alongside the road. Quite a few cars had already driven past the lady ahead of her, but she felt something wasn’t quite right.
Tina stopped, and asked the lady if she needed help. The lady said she was on her way to high school, but she was afraid she was going to be late because it was all the way across town.
Our teammate immediately knew something was amiss.
She offered to drive the lady to school because it was so far, and hot outside, to get her off the road until she could call for help. Once in the car, she told the lady she needed to call work, and let them know she would be a little late.
Tina stepped out of the car to call 911, without the lady hearing, in case it might agitate her. While waiting for the police to arrive, she chatted with the lady to keep her distracted. When the police arrived, they questioned the lady and found out she was 78 years old, had no identification or cell phone on her. She did have an address book in her purse, with her home address.
The officer was able to call her husband, who had been out frantically searching for her in his car. He arrived shortly, they were reunited, and all ended well.
Had it not been for Tina being observant and possessing enough compassion to stop and ask if the lady needed help, things could have turned out much differently. The only reason Tina told me about the incident was to explain why she was late for work.
I would like to think I would have done the same. But, to be honest, I may not have even noticed, let alone stop and approach a lone female in today’s world.
The LSC Way lives in all of us, but in some it shines a little brighter.
–David Beam, LSC Pharmacy manager
