Every day we are bombarded with negative stories; wars, poverty, natural disasters, and people destroying each other on social media. We have never experienced a time when we are so saturated in information, and this constant stream of 'bad news,' (which sells, unfortunately) can affect our physical and mental health.
While it can be tempting to despair for humanity, to switch off from each other and find solace in animals, children, and a more innocent world, I find it helpful to search for common humanity. We need to promote togetherness, kindness, and examples of people helping others!
Image credits: Elena Rostunova (not the actual photo)
This heartwarming story, which took place on the subway, is a perfect example. Sure, we are all busy people, with our own worries and concerns. But the ability to break out of our bubbles, the ones we build so diligently around ourselves with our screens and headphones, is crucial if we are going to re-establish the sense of community that we, as social animals, evolved with.
Writer Erynn Brook, whose writing "weaves through conversations about media, people, culture, technology and anything else that pops into my world," shared her experience while riding the train home, just a few stops from her station. She was approached by an 18-year-old girl who suffered from epilepsy and was about to have a seizure.
The inspiring story is a powerful lesson about perspective and taking the time to help people but in a constructive way. Many of us faced with this situation would either have passed on the problem to somebody else or simply called emergency services. All this girl needed was a little accommodation, a fellow human being by her side.
Thanks to Erynn, we better understand how to act when needed, and we have learned that basic humanity and kindness to each other can make a world of difference. However, Erynn would like for something like this to be simply a normal occurrence and not something worthy of a 'viral' story.
"I wish this kind of good stories was a normal thing to hear and see and do," she told Bored Panda. "In an ideal world, the response would just be confused as to why I'm even sharing it because this is how everyone lives."
Hopefully, one day we will begin to come together more like a community again and learn how to look out for those who might need a little help from time to time. Erynn has some advice on how to get the ball rolling. "Listen to people, take a basic first aid course if you can, and listen to people with health issues," she told us. "Follow more good people and diverse voices on social media, and if you can, get involved at a local level and work your way up."