It’s the last Friday of the month yet again. The function of these good news posts that bloggers from around the world put up faithfully on the last Friday of each month, keeps me sane in a world gone mad. These sorts of good news stories remind us of the humanity of people, their willingness to step into the metaphoric (in this case literal) traffic and help another.

There’s a movement in South Africa called ‘#I’m Staying’. So many are leaving this beautiful country for safer shores – we’ve become a gangster state, the Rainbow Nation so called by Archbishop Desmond Tutu is shattered. Mr. Nelson Mandela’s dream is as if it never happened. But when we hear of the willingness of people across all races helping one another, we know that the political big wigs dirty tricks of using race to drive a wedge between ‘the whites and blacks’ will not work (though much of the time sadly they do – factions within factions).

Kerry Wilson: 24 February  · So never did I ever think I would have my very own, #Imstaying moment… yesterday afternoon I was on the N1 Highway in heavy traffic and my car decided that’s it, she’s giving up and the clutch went just before Rivonia road, with me stuck in the middle lane… as I don’t do panic very well, I sat there and just cried and had people hooting at me, swearing at me, trying to pass me… no one willing to actually help me. When suddenly out of no where there is this lady at my window and she says to me mam, don’t worry, we are firefighters and we going to help you….I was bewildered, this group of people stopped behind me, jumped out their car and stopped traffic on a very busy highway for me…. then proceeded to push my car across the lanes till I was safe, not only that they stayed with me till my husband arrived to save the day and tow our car to our wonderful mechanic Colin Schnaier who has now fixed my car and is ready for collection.I would just like to say a VERY BIG THANK YOU to Penny Mabaso, Dudu Ratlhogo, Matome Moila, Thabang Skhosana, all from the City of Johannesburg Emergency management services. You guys were my hero yesterday and I cannot thank you enough!!! — with Penny Mabaso and 3 others.

Our thanks to our co-hosts this month; https://www.professorowlsbookcorner.wordpress.com/ Sylvia McGrath

https://www.godyears.net/ Roshan Radhakrishnan

http://shilpaagarg.com/ Shilpa Garg

“https://ericlahti.wordpress.com/ Eric Lahti “https://bwitzenhausen.wordpress.com/ Belinda Witzenhausen

Do pop by and say hello and check out their stories. Get a shot in the arm of uplifting news. Plus the other shots I hope you’re all getting. Below are guidelines and a link at the end should you wish to join on the last Friday of each month .. pinched, copied and pasted from Eric Lahti one of the co-hosts – thanks Eric!

~~~GUIDELINES~~~
1. Keep your post to below 500 words, as much as possible.
2. All we ask is you link to a human news story on your blog on the last Friday of each month, one that shows love, humanity and brotherhood.
3. Join us on the last Friday of each month in sharing news that warms the cockles of our heart. No story is too big or small, as long as it goes beyond religion and politics, into the core of humanity.
4. Place the WE ARE THE WORLD Badge on your sidebar, and help us spread the word on social media. Tweets, Facebook shares, G+ shares using the #WATWB hashtag through the month most welcome. More Blogfest signups mean more friends, love and light for all of us.
5. We’ll read and comment on each others’ posts, get to know each other better, and hopefully, make or renew some friendships with everyone who signs on as participants in the coming months.
6. To sign up, add your link in WE ARE THE WORLD Linky List below.
This is a Blog Hop!
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

May the Force be with you. Have a great April. Chag Sameach and Happy Easter wishes to you all.

54 Comments on #WATWB I’m Staying

    • I’m glad to hear you’ve been the recipient Sylvia. It reinforces the idea of paying it forward whenever one can. Thank you for coming by and for co-hosting this month.

  2. O, such a heart-warming anecdote. These are the little vignettes from our daily lives that bring cheer and reinforce our hope in this world.
    Thanks, Susan for sharing this.
    I have something similar to narrate, which I will reserve for April.
    Do drop by my blog to read my this month’s contribution. Thanks.

    • Thanks Pradeep for coming by. What a lovely phrase ‘little vignettes’ about these experiences in our daily lives. It sorts of lifts it into something special which of course this little vignette was and helps us realise their are good people among us.

  3. So incredible at that moment of panic when helping hands and warm hearts arrive. Thanks for the story, Susan. I’m sad about South Africa and how broken it seems. We’re not doing well in the USA in so many ways, but Biden and Harris are a breath of fresh air. We have an alarming gun problem and environmental problems, but I hope and pray there’s an awakening happening about racism. Change feels fragile. Thanks again for sharing reminders of generosity and kindness.

    • Didn’t Mr Rogers say something about remember the helpers … you’ll always find people who are helping. We’re looking forward in this country to hear the outcome of a big indaba this weekend of the political big wigs who stated some time ago that they will force the corrupt ones to ‘step aside’ – and this weekend is apparently about this. Whether they will keep to their word and make decisions to get rid of the corrupt politicos is what we’re waiting to hear. We’re not holding our collective breath though.

      Thanks Elaine for coming by .. may racism become a thing of the past whereby we each own our own darkness instead of projecting it onto others –

  4. I love this story, Susan. It gives me hope for better days. It is great to share stories like this. I’m sure there are many of them. Sadly, it’s the negatives that get the airplay.
    Unfortunately, I’ve hardly shared a #WATWB post this year. Not because I haven’t found stories, often I have saved them when I’ve seen them. I’ve just been so busy that I have forgotten and not made time. Maybe next month. I’ll see how I go.

    • Time – lordy how fast it goes. There’s a saying here ‘packing for Perth’ or PFP when people set about emigrating to Australia. That’s what my husband and I feel like right now as we pack more stuff from the townhouse to take down to Plett tomorrow, stuff that son and d-i-l DO NOT WANT. Obviously hard core furniture we can’t take. Unsure we’ll pack it all in. I’m not sure why I’m telling you this story … ah, a moment or two of reflection says why – you have my sympathies in terms of busy-ness, I know I’ll have yours too 🙂

    • Thanks Donna, there’s always light among the shadows, and people are so great at showing their light. Unsung heroes – and many of them thankfully!

  7. Love these kindness stories Susan. Such simple gestures can make somebody smile. I’m waiting for the world to catch on. <3

  8. So many decades ago I lived in Minnesota. An icy wintertime state in America’s Midwest. There, people learned that should someone be stuck in the snow it’s axiomatic to come to their aid. The next time, it might be you and you are making the karma to be the recipient of help when you are.

    • It’s worthwhile to take some things for granted. Sort of like a duty to help out when required to. And as you say in true Buddhist style John, making or creating the karma for when it is you in need. Not that this is the purpose of helping another out, but it is what happens. Thanks for coming by.

  9. What a special story. I LOVE hearing that there are still kind, helpful people still in the world. I was worried that kindness was evaporating from our world. So Thank You for showing the love and caring. Have a WONDERFUL Day!!

    • I love these sorts of stories too Gwynn, they really do demonstrate the unsung heroe/s. I also wonder – how did it come to this – about whether kindness was ‘evaporating’ … it seems so at times. But it’s always there, in the small and mundane, in the willingness to help – you too have a wonderful day – night time here – moon is almost full and there’s a chill in the air.

  10. Love this! Been in this situation and it is amazing when a strangers pitch in to help. Thanks so much for sharing this and for being a part of#WATWB! Have a great weekend!😊

    • Thanks Belinda, glad you’ve been the recipient! Thank YOU for co-hosting this month and being one of those who started #WATWB! I’ll respond to yours and others posts in the morning – against the clock here … have a lovely weekend!

  11. Susan, this is a wonderful story that reflects the goodness of what I hope is the majority of people in this world. Sadly, though, as in South Africa, we have race issues here in America that have simply not gone away and reared their ugly heads this past year. It has always been disheartening to me that people can’t look past color to see a human face that is just as worthy as theirs, especially when in need. I’m glad the firefighters came along to help Kerry in her time of need and hope that your country can find its way back to Mandela’s rainbow.

    • It’s awfully disheartening Mary, I can feel the numbing and dumbing down of hearts here there and everywhere where the colour of one’s skin is a determinant or a factor or a … I don’t know. It’s an ‘othering’ I guess. We’ve ‘othered’ others in the past and thus it continues … I know this is overly simplistic. I just wish we could like and love each other for who and what we stand for, which is peace, love, freedom, equality, equal opportunity. When will it ever end – Thank heavens for glimpses of goodness, kindness, ordinary humanity, a desire to help …

      • If only some would understand that living in love and acceptance is a far easier and happier life than living in anger and hate. It’s still going to take decades and long after I’m gone before most of the world learns tolerance, but I have hope for the future.

        • Sometimes it seems that hope is all we have left .. I truly hope to see positive loving changes in my lifetime, and I hope you do too Mary ..

  12. Hi Susan – this is a wonderful #WATWB post and story … yes there are amazing people – who will stop and help … I’ve had a few – and been eternally grateful – always travelling alone, as I usually do.

    I do hope sense overcomes and everyone can live together peacefully and economically surviving …I so enjoyed reading this … thank you for highlighting these amazing people – they have so much to offer in the world and set amazing examples. I cannot believe you had to walk back when you broke down in the middle of the night – just glad you’re safe.

    Thank you – my #WATWB will be up on Sunday … Hilary

    • The walk in the dark was a lonnnng time ago Hilary … it was a traumatic experience but definitely safer then! (thank the Pope).

      I’m glad people appeared when you needed them – Providence has a kind face.

      I look forward to seeing yours on Sunday, meantime have a lovely weekend 🙂 Susan

  13. What a horrid situation for you after such an honorable beginning. We in the US are going through similar problems, pitting race against race, treating one color unfairly because the others can get away with it. I wonder if the noble experiment is dying…

    • Shoot Jacqui – a noble experiment gone wrong … can it be rescued from its death throes? This is the sort of thing that keeps me up at night or awaking far too early in the morning wondering, in the words of Dorothy Parker ‘What fresh hell is this?’ I need good news – all the time! Thankfully life supplies …

      • Me too and I don’t see any on the horizon. Oakland CA (my state) recently decided to award $500 a month to anyone earning not enough to survive on (their number: $59,000 a year). No questions asked. But: whites are excluded. What is wrong with these people!

  14. Hi Susan, I always look forward to your ‘good news posts.’ Sharing ‘humanity’ often at its best.🙂

    Tears brimming with this story from Kerry Wilson. This was a huge safety issue in general affecting many people. Your story reminds me how this is one story that was shared. There are many silent heroes that may not make it into the news and social media. There is also the concept of paying it forward. Thank you for sharing the great vibes, Susan ❤️

    • Those reminders are necessary methinks Erica, and also that so many people were affected. We never know when it can happen to us, or to those we know and those we don’t. Silent heroes are all about us … the South African ‘#I’m Staying’ stories are daily reminders of the kindness of strangers and as you say, paying it forward! 🙂

        • And, just because it’s a strong synchronicity which in my book means paying attention – there was a request from an organisation in Plett for urgent donations and the bank account name is “Pay It Forward” – literally two minutes after I responded to your comment Erica …

          • Goosebumps, Susan! I am totally with you about synchronicity and paying attention. In our family, we talk about this often. We may not understand the undercurrents in our universe, although it does make us pause and pay attention to this specific moment in time. We have had many instances of 111’s 1111’s in our family ever since a special little girl was born in our family and an ICU nurse brought this to our attention. I appreciate you sharing. xx

            • Yes, those 1:11’s pop up fairly frequently. Thanks for commenting back Erica and affirming this … Undercurrents for sure. While the waters may be ‘muddy’ the lotus arises from the mud. I mention this word ‘muddy’ because the organisation has the word in it for the Pay it Forward bank acct. (for animals)

  15. Hi,
    It takes only a few to live out the reality of loving your neighbour and things change. I am happy that she had the chance to experience a moment of God’s goodness.
    Shalom aleichem

    • O those moments of God’s goodness manifested in the humanity of strangers responding to a call for help! Thanks Patricia and Shalom Aleichem to you –

  16. This is a perfect story for #WATWB. I’ve had a breakdown on the highway and it is scary. These are good people to stop and help her.

    • May it never happen again Ally Bean… I remember in my distant past my car breaking down in the middle of the night and there was option but for me to walk home. Those were the days when it was ‘safe’ ..

  17. Oh, I love this story! Thank you so much Susan for sharing it! It reminds me of a similar event when my own car broke down in the middle of a busy town one day and two strangers got out of their car to also help me push it into a safe spot.

    At the time I was collecting my daughter in order to drop her off at her exam which was set in 45 minutes and now we were running late. Suddenly, from nowhere, a couple appeared saying they could drop her home to collect her books and take her on to school.

    I didn’t know these people at all but I had to take a risk as by the time she got in their car she had 30 minutes left. Fast forward, I collect her after the exam and everything they promised they did. I never saw the couple again but thank goodness help appeared when needed.

    You couldn’t make it up sometimes! Love and light, Deborah.

    • Here’s to the angels in our midst Deborah! I can imagine the strain what with having an important deadline – exams no less! Sometimes the risk has to be taken. Thank you for sharing your story – your daughter will no doubt never forget it and neither will you. A reminder also to be alert to those in immediate distress, especially a damsel .. and in a car no less. I would have no clue. Happy weekend, Love Susan

  19. This happened to someone else, right? But she was definitely helped when she most needed it. And what angels they were! Thank you for sharing, Susan. Happy autumn and holiday season to you.

    • Yes, someone else – though it happened to me and my family many years ago in the middle of the Karoo – miles from anywhere. A stranger picked up my husband to take him with the damaged wheel where it could be repaired, and brought him back again, and helped change the wheel. The kindness of strangers. So much good in the world. Thanks Merril, and happy Spring to you.

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