Try a little tenderness

Yesterday I was so excited.  I went into Melbourne to pick up my race number for the Age Run Melbourne half marathon. It was a gorgeous day, sun shining on the Yarra river, the air was sweet, all was right with the world. And my name was on my race bib.

Coming home on the train, there was an 'obstruction on the tracks'. That meant an interesting process of catching the train to one station, changing trains to get to another, getting on a bus to get to ANOTHER station then back on the train home.  Confused? I was....but hey, the sun was still shining, it was still a fabulous day and now it had an adventure in it.

I made all the changes along with grumbling, venting, annoyed passengers. Most were so busy whinging to each other about how inconvenient this all was, the government should do something about the train system, they want their fare money back, etc etc, they didn't see the emergency vehicles beside the train track. They didn't see the stationary train between the stations. And they didn't see the sheet covered stretcher to one side.

And the ones that did.....were angry.  Angry that this person should cause so much disruption and 'inconvenience.'

On this beautiful day, so beautiful I was enjoying my adventure and looking out the window, thinking all was right with the world, a human being died. Whether it be by accident or design, a precious life was lost. Not only lost but relegated to being called " an obstruction on the tracks." An inconvenience.

Compassion is disappearing in our self centred world. The world revolves around us, our busy-ness, our frantic little dramas so that if anything does go unexpectedly wrong, it is as if personal affront has been given. The car accident on the freeway to work making us late...so FRUSTRATING. But there were people in those cars, now injured or in pain.  They didn't wake up thinking " hmmm, I think I will annoy the west side of Melbourne today and smash my car into somebody else."

Someone is walking, staggering in the street yet the usual response is a judgement call on their state...clearly it must be drugs or alcohol. Or it could be someone having a stroke and trying to get help.

Since when did we get so calloused?  When did we as a people of all different experiences, nationalities, cultures stop caring about others and only about ourselves?

Yesterday, a deep sadness settled on my heart. Instead of patience and understanding, even appreciation for the public transport system to so quickly come up with a solution to get us home on time, it was a soulsucking wave of negativity.  And noone saw the real tragedy on the beautiful winter's day in Melbourne.

That person was not an inconvenience. That person under the sheet was someone's child, someone's workmate or friend. Maybe even partner or parent.

I think of the train driver, and his or her family. They too are not an inconvenience if they cannot return to work after such a  shocking occurence.

And my prayers are with them all.


On a final note.....Below are two links if you feel noone will help or listen or care.....they will.  And you are never alone.

http://www.beyondblue.org.au/

http://www.lifeline.org.au/Get-Help/Facts---Information/Preventing-Suicide/Preventing-Suicide