STORIES OF HUMANITY

In the vast open lands of Nevada, there lies the town of Ely, where we’ve stopped for the night at an RV park. After a couple of hours of harsh, yet beautiful rainfall, a few of us decided to do laundry. Levon, returning to the RV from the laundry room, listened for a few minutes to our conversation about human apathy and indifference, and exclaimed, “Now listen to this paradox!” He then continued to tell his short story: a man in the laundry room had noticed that the drying machines, in which lay our half-dried clothing, had stopped, and consequently, he had added a quarter to each. While those of us in the RV were busy discussing the carelessness of some, a complete stranger was considerate enough to add a few cents. A simple, and for some, a seemingly insignificant gesture, but an act of humanity, nonetheless. Upon hearing the story, the idea for this section of our website was born, and we all went to thank our new friend, Rick. He was caught off-guard as he explained that what he did was “not a big deal,” and we understood well that for him it was a natural act (anyone who makes such gesture considers it natural). But when was the last time you witnessed someone drop a quarter in a laundry machine s/he wasn’t using? When was the last time you dropped a quarter or inserted a dime in an “Expired” parking meter? We may easily dismiss Rick’s action as insignificant or natural, but had he decided not to drop that quarter, we would’ve considered that just as natural. Hence, the human ability to choose his/her actions, and the immense affect those actions can have on others. Rick did not know that his simple act of generosity would lead to a new section on our website and that you would be reading this story. He simply acted—kindly. We gratefully thank him for his contribution to humanity.

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