The other day as my wife and I were walking into Harris Teeter on St. Simons Island, an SUV
zipped into a space reserved for senior customers. We had just driven by the empty space to park ten spaces further away in the next open space. From the large, luxury SUV a late twenty-something woman hopped out. She was well dressed and, ironically, quite fit. She appeared to be someone who spends many hours in the gym to maintain a certain level of fitness, yet instead of parking further away to leave that space open for the store’s senior patrons and getting a few extra steps on her Fitbit, either impatience or self-importance told her she could ignore the sign and park there anyway.
This is not like seeing someone park in an accessible space, unsure if a disability is visible or not. Those situations can be deceiving. But unless Rodan + Fields’ creams are literally able to work miracles, this woman was probably about 35 years younger than what most of us would consider an appropriate age to legitimately use one of those spaces. After debating whether I should say something, I decided to let it go.
The bonds of our common humanity can be fragile, and sometimes I feel like being a civility traffic cop. When I see someone acting like a jerk I am tempted to make a citizens arrest, or at least issue a citizens citation. I appreciate that the folks at Harris Teeter have parking spaces for veterans, expecting and new mothers, and senior citizens, in addition to the required accessible parking spaces near the front of the store. There are groups of people who deserve a little consideration if for no other reason than it’s what good people do for one another.
It doesn’t take grand gestures to make the world a better place. In my tradition we’re called to care for “the least of these.” Such acts might be as simple as offering a cup of water to a thirsty person or sharing food with one who is hungry. And if Jesus isn’t your thing, perhaps the wisdom of Tolkien spoken through the wizard Gandalf resonates: “I have found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.” It matters if we offer to share our umbrella with a stranger, hold the door for others, smile supportively at the mother with the screaming kids, and yes, leave the parking spaces close to the store for those who might not be able to walk as easily or as far as we can. It also matters when we don’t.
The good news about our experience on the way into the grocery store is that the space was initially empty despite a very full parking lot. Many people drove past that particular space. That tells me there’s plenty of light and love in the world after all. An act of kindness here or there makes all the difference.
EIL welcomes Rev. Tom Purdy as a contributing writer, sharing his impressions of life in our community on a regular basis. Tom moved to St. Simons Island in 2013 with his wife, Donna, and daughters Eva and Calleigh, to take his current position as Rector at Christ Church Frederica. He and his family enjoy outdoor adventures, travel and exploration, and good food. Tom fancies himself a funny fellow, but we hear that when it comes to puns, he should be discouraged.
