21 Dec What Hit Me?
This week in Austria has been eventful. We came for Christmas Markets and the music in Mozart’s birthplace. We were in Innsbruck less than 24 hours, walking through the markets, when the wind blew open a door on one of the stalls. It crashed into Deborah’s face and she went down in pain. A huge bump appeared on her forehead and she was bleeding from one eye.
We ran to a nearby restaurant and a young lady sat Deborah down and applied ice while phoning an ambulance. The owner made Deborah comfortable, and gave us chocolates for the ride to the hospital. This behavior was mirrored by the EMTs and emergency room staff.
Hours later, when Deborah was cleared of major injury, we compared this event to how it might have transpired in the U.S. Austrian manners, graciousness, and empathy warmed our hearts. But the common discourse in the U.S. has become one of blame, lawsuits, and bitterness. Compassion and grace lie within us, but now it seems they’re under a cloud, buried by those who would use fear and divisiveness to exert control.
Every day that we converse with others, opinions about us and our country are fixed in the minds of others. It’s up to us to return the U.S. discourse to one of civility, calling upon our better angels. We can lift ourselves up and others around us, putting on the ice bag and calling the ambulance when needed. And a chocolate or two couldn’t hurt. Sweetness and grace are strengths of spirit.
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