Tempted, but ....

The car was filthy, and I was tempted to scrawl something appropriate, like "Please wash me!" But then I thought, "Hmmm, perhaps the owner is hoping to win 'car most needing a wash' at the next Bombers' game.

The teenager was standing doing nothing while the older woman struggled with her bags. I was tempted to intervene, but thought, "Hmmm, maybe he doesn't see her, or has a sore back, or is struggling with something on his mind and is deep in thought."

The driver was weaving and dodging with great speed and no signals. I so wanted to write down her plate number and report her, but then I thought, "Hmmm, perhaps she got an urgent call from her son's school, or fired from her job, or learned her dad had died."

So tempting to right all perceived wrongs and let others know they have been seen and noted. So tempting to step in. So tempting to stand perfect.

In the past, I've regularly tried to be a good citizen and help others do the right thing, but I learned that you can't always fix everyone and you won't always do what is the right thing, in your eyes or anyone else's.

Once when I was coming home from university in Australia, I was travelling down a dark, dank side street when I saw a man lying on the sidewalk. It was very late, and I was young and nervous, so I made the decision to not get out and help, and instead head straight to the nearest police station and report what I had seen. The officers told me I had done the right thing because there had been a series of recent attacks in the area resulting from "staged" muggings. However, when I got home, my brother's friend, who was tall and strong, told me that I had missed the perfect opportunity to help a fellow citizen first hand.

Over the years, I've teetered between stepping up and staying back, saying something and remaining silent, fixing and letting go. I don't get it right all the time, but I try, and that is certainly better than not even.

Yes, it's tempting. The challenge is we don't always know the full story. But I think that if we weigh up our options and the consequences before taking any action or intervening in any way, we will make the right decision in the best interests of everyone.