THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO ME!

The world is full of goodness.

I’ve been witness to this a lot lately, but today was a clincher.

My dog chased another dog out onto a frozen pond today and I saw what was going to happen just before it happened. The ice in the middle of the pond gave way and she fell in, and was trapped in the water, unable to move. She doesn’t swim, doesn’t like water.  She tried to lift her paws onto the ice but it cracked with her weight and she fell back in. 

My mind froze, and I went into panic mode. I had no idea what to do and was screaming for help. A crowd of people gathered, someone called 911. And I stood by the sidelines, sure that I was going to witness her submerge beneath the water before my very eyes.

And from behind me, a man and a woman made their way to the water’s edge and started smashing the ice to break it up - and swam out into the icy water to free my dog, Ethel, who made a beeline for shore.

The firefighters arrived just in time to greet her. 

Through my tears and shock, I was able to thank these kind people, but the magnitude of what they did didn’t sink in for a little while.  There was no thinking on their part, just doing. 

I didn’t have the courage to do what they did. But what I saw today showed me who I want to be in this world. 

No more standing by the sidelines. I will take every opportunity I see to create good in this world.