Posted in Culture, tagged course of history, empathy, helping others, society on 27 Feb 2020| 1 Comment »
The news, of late, has been bleak, so much so that I feel we can be forgiven if we find ourselves pervaded by thoughts of despair.
Race riots. Ascendant nationalism. Market instability. Climate crises. Dismantled safeguards. Increasing inequality. And now, a spreading pandemic.
Seriously bleak.
In years past, when faced with bleak times, I have found comfort in stepping back to take in the longer view. (more…)
Posted in Seattle, tagged helping others, Seattle on 20 Jan 2015| 9 Comments »
It was still dark when I turned the corner and saw the woman lying on the ground. It was outside the transit station, and a few other early-morning commuters had slowed to see what was going on. Shared glances communicated our mutual concern for the young woman spread-eagled on the sidewalk. One man leaned over, peering down into her face.
“Miss? Can you hear me? Are you all right?”
I pulled out my phone but heard a man nearby relaying specifics of our location. I pointed my phone at him–“911?”–and he nodded. I returned my attention to the young woman.
I knelt at her side. My first guess had been that she was drunk and passed out–the bushes lining the walk near the transit station are a habitual crash-point for Seattle’s homeless–but a closer look told me my first guess was wrong. (more…)
Kurt R.A. Giambastiani 