Unforgettable

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog called, “Cops that no longer care.” In it I detailed yet another negative experience with a police officer that did not do his job. Since it had been awhile since I came across a good cop, I wrote that blog to express my frustrations after that incident, which was just the latest in a string of bad experiences with law enforcement.  It is human nature to complain about the negative and to give voice to situations where things have gone wrong. 

Now I am going to tell you about a police officer that I really respect and one that I have to give credit for going above expectations. In August, I was driving across the United States. This large and stressful move was exhausting but I still wanted to take advantage of each state that I passed through. Every state that I drove through, I made it a point to take at least one image of the state in admiration and celebration of the earth’s natural beauty. Finally, I was driving through Oklahoma when I came across a pretty lake surrounded by lush greenery contrasting sharply with the dusty orange clay of the plains at the side of a busy highway. I pulled my car over as soon as I could, leaving my best friend/ road trip buddy and pets in the car. Grabbing my camera, I climbed out and began to walk over to the lake, which was quite a ways down the road. It was a beautiful sunny day with bright blue skies and even though I knew I was risking my own safety by taking these pictures, it was an opportunity that I didn’t want to miss. As I approached the lake, a police officer passed by me on the interstate. Seeing the police vehicle made my stomach twist because I had a gut feeling that I was about to see him again and my gut feeling was right. A few seconds after I snapped a few photos I saw the police vehicle driving through the grassy median towards me.

“Damn it. I am going to get a ticket.” I thought to myself as I smiled and waved at the approaching police cruiser, trying to maintain my composure when on the inside I was really worried. The policeman in the vehicle smiled and waved back before pulling up next to me.

As he rolled down his window, I respectfully greeted him with a “Good afternoon, officer.”

“Hello!” He responded in a jovial voice. “Are you okay?” He asked me with a thick southern accent.

“Yes sir. I was just taking photos of the lake. It’s really pretty out here. Is that okay?” I asked feeling my nervousness raise.

“Yes ma’am that is. I was just worried that your car had run out of gas and I wanted to see if you needed a ride to a gas station. You sure you’re okay?”

I explained to him that I still had gas and thanked him for stopping to check on me, once again reassuring him that I was okay. He told me to have a great day and as he drove away, it wasn’t just relief that I felt, I was deeply touched.

I am a young woman in her late 20’s who has experienced every form of asshole that someone can experience. I now consider myself an international expert on the subject.  This includes the blatant in-your-face asshole to the garden variety jackass all the way to the more cunning “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” From the different experiences in my life, I learned very quickly that if you need help, it is unlikely to come to you from someone that you don’t know and if someone you do know offers to help, there are almost always hidden strings attached that eventually show. It is unfortunate that truly selfless acts of kindness in today’s society have become rarer than a white rhino and usually end with a demand. So when someone shows me a selfless act of kindness, I always remember them with a smile in my heart.

To me this wasn’t just a police officer checking to see if I was okay, it was one human being showing selfless grace and concern to another human being. He didn’t have to stop to check on me, regardless of his job motto, “To serve and protect.” He didn’t have to see if I was okay and he didn’t have to offer to give me a ride to the nearest gas station.  He chose to do it because he was a good man.

 I will remember this police officer for the rest of my life because of the selfless kindness that he demonstrated. He didn’t have to do what he did. He chose to and he went out of his way to do so. So keep that in mind when you consider doing something kind for another person you may or may not know. That person might hold a thankful heart in regards to you for the rest of their life.

 I don’t look up to celebrities and call them heroes or my personal inspiration. I look up to the people that come into my life and show truly selfless acts of kindness without second thought. To me, those people are unforgettable.