I have mentioned that Costa Ricans seem to me to be very kind…does that seem to you to be a tame word???
If you had an emergency, what type of person would you hope would come along?
The Good Samaritan, right? A modern day version of kindness???
This weekend I experienced once again the Costa Rican kindness of being invited into Costa Rican homes, where I was feed, my feeble Spanish was tolerated, I was invited to a family birthday party, and I felt …well,like family. It was a truly enjoyable weekend.
Came home, took a hike in the rain to get food and mail, and went SPLAT! Flat on my back in a mud puddle. Wind knocked out of me, elbow bleeding, I have previous back injuries and I am laying there with the rain pouring down, my groceries leaking out of my backpack and about 5 seconds from self pity.
Two SUVs with KIND strangers come screeching to a halt beside me. A man jumps out of one, carrying towels. He only speaks Spanish but he immediately helps me up and starts to wipe the blood and mud and dripping milk from my groceries off of me. He opens my backpack and wipes off everything in there, too. He separates what is ruined from what is not and wipes out the inside and repacks it.
A lovely lady jumps out of the other SUV and she speaks just a little English. “Do you live near here? Do you need a Doctor? Can I drive you home?”
I feel a little foolish and dirty but I am hurting and shaken and so accept their help. Sadly, I did not get their names and will only be able to pay their kindness forward.
Would I let a dripping wet, muddy, bleeding stranger in to my new clean car? Would you? One who does not speak my language? Would I drive out of my way and offer to take them to the doctor? Would I take them home and be certain they were ok before I left?
Neither of these folks paused for a second to think “Should I stop? Should I go back and help that person?” They just automatically and instantly stopped and did all they could.
I got home and showered and called my friend Monroe and asked him to buy me a heating pad on his way home. He said,”I wish I had been there when you fell”…..hoping for a little sympathy, …..wait for it….I said “why” ….and he said, “So I could have taken a picture of you for your blog” ….Then he asked if I would consider going back and laying in the same spot to re-create the scene for a picture. I think that’s when I hung up.
Two hours later he came over and said he had hunted all over town and could not find a heating pad but he had a hot pack, a bottle of wine and a hot fish dinner.
Forgiven. And kind.
I feel much better now.
And Angelina has a new favorite place to sleep…my backpack. It smells like milk.
Costa Rican Kindness would assist a woman in distress like this!
This is JUST what I looked like!!! Ha!
Glad you are ok Sonya . Probably sums up the difference between a so called advanced society and one not so .
http://johncmoulder.com
Hi Sonya!
Your friend Monroe! So funny maybe not the kind of kindness from Costa Rica but a very funny kindness!
Sorry to hear about your injury…
Aprender Hipnosis
Glad to hear you’re Ok after taking a nasty fall. Equally glad to know there are good hearted folks in your area willing to lend a helping hand.
Michael
Write It Down
Okay, I have to admit, I laughed out loud at Monroe’s comment …
…
The sad part is, when you posed the questions regarding if we would stop to help and allow a muddy and bloodied person into a new, clean car … I can think of some people here in the U.S. that probably would not have stopped. Well Done Costa Rica!
Stay Extraordinary and Keep Doing Amazing Things, Neil
Lifestyle Induced Dysbiosis Syndrome
Just glad your OK and your day turned out Sunny in a different way.
Las Vegas Air Conditioning Service & Repairs
Definitely wonderful that people will just stop to help, take the time out of their day.
Thanks for the story Sonya!
Mark Hogan
First off, I’m glad you’re OK and got help. I have to say that I’ve noticed that kind of kindness in countries outside of the US as well. How wonderful to live in that kind of environment.
Cherie Miranda
A Noteworthy Event
Sunny gets down and dirty…. humm, a black outfit with mud and milk on top… i call that a human Hot Fudge Sunday! Sunny in Costa Rica is more than a mood or experience… it’s a tasty treat as well and was a pleasure to share my salmon and wine and laugh about the milk and mud bath.
Hola Sonya,
What wonderfully kind people the Costa Ricans are, living out and demonstrating the example from the Bible of “The Good Samaritan” in their lives and helping others in trouble, muddied and bleeding in the road. I hope you are ok!
When I was in the passenger seat in a car accident on the freeway where the tire just blew out, we had a kind man stopped to help us and check that we were ok. I never got his name either and just honor and admire kind men like him who will stop and come to the aid of women drivers.
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Christian Dating Expert
I asked myself the questions you posed and, honestly, I think I would stop but I am not so sure I would have been quite as good a Samaritan as you encountered.
Kind of nice to know that there are still people and places like that in the world.
Dennis
Live a Truly Wealthy Life
Oh my gosh Sonya, I am so glad you had good people to come to your aid. I am so sorry to hear of your fall and injury. I hope you are improving. It is a shame how jaded we have become in the USA and are hestiatnt to help people in need. Thanks for sharing this story and giving us something to think about as we take a look at ourselves. Also your friend Monroe’s comment was funny.
Sunny,
Simply a beautiful story, no wonder you live in Costa Rica!
Looking forward to tomorrow!
Create a great day!
Time to Care for the Caregiver Now?
Thank God those people were there to help you. That sounds like a tough fall you took. Glad you are alright.
Andrew
http://www.andrewminer.net/burnfatwhileyousleep/
Sonya, Good samaritans are always welcomed but it seems that there are more in Costa Rica than here in the states.
Scott Sylvan Bell
Reading body language of women
Now go implement!
Good Samaritans are hard to find and here you had two at once. Maybe it is the weather out in Costa Rica.
Tidy up home storage and organization with a plan.
Ahhh, that is such a wonderful story! To a certain extent strangers are kinder in general once you get outside the big cities, but your Good Samaritans certainly went the extra mile for you (literally) – I’m still smiling!
EcoExpert
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