There are times when I wonder if I’m making a difference. If my existence amounts to anything. Then there are days when the significance of my being slaps me upside the head, leaving no doubt if I make a difference.
Yesterday, I had several commitments to attend. One of those, I decided to skip, too tired after a long workweek that involved little sleep. I found myself on a beach with a friend, the two of us having just shared a foot-long sandwich and sipping coffee while sitting on a rock jetty. After we’d finished eating, we decided to go for a walk.
Halfway between two lifeguard towers, we opted to sit on the rise of sand the ocean’s surf creates during higher tide. We spoke little, appreciating the tranquil environment and hypnotic lull of the waves. Minutes passed. Couldn’t begin to say how many. With each passing one, more of my previous week slipped away, replaced by a deep sense of contentment.
I shifted my gaze, activity off to my left catching my sight. There, I took in two larger women along with two elementary school age kids who were engaging with one another in the water. They weren’t out very far, only enough to have the water cover their shins.
I looked away for a minute, a seagull capturing my attention. When I looked back, I watched the foursome, taking in how they appeared to be wrestling with one of the larger women who was now lying in the water.
Though the group seemed relaxed, I sensed something wasn’t quite right and scrutinized them. Within seconds, I realized what was wrong. The face of larger woman, who was lying in the water, was pointed downward and under the water. She wasn’t moving. The other woman and two kids were attempting pull her from the water.
They weren’t panicking, nor were they calling for help. But it was clear they couldn’t extract the one woman from the water. With each set of waves that rolled in, the water level rose, covering the one woman’s entire head and face!
Everything in me bristled. I alerted my friend, who wasn’t looking in that direction, as to the situation. My friend leapt up and bolted down to help, while I rummaged through my purse to find my phone and dial 911. It took only seconds for an operator to come on the line and then connect me to the fire department who wanted to know exactly where I was.
I tore my eyes away from my friend and two others who were trying to pull the woman from the water. Looking in first one direction and then the other, I hoped to see a number written on one of the lifeguard towers to give my location. But they had none. Seeing a nearby person, I went to them, hoping they’d be local and tell me the name of the nearest cross street. But that person was from Texas. I repeated this process several times, each encounter introducing me to someone from out of state who was visiting.
Just about the time I was wondering if anyone on the beach was a local, a woman came forward and was able to tell me the name of the street closest to us. I shared this information with the fireman on the phone as I walked back to where the activity with the drowning woman was taking place.
Stay tuned and read tomorrow’s blog to see how it all turned out….
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