Part of the Solution

Whenever possible, I like to be part of the solution (and not part of the problem). This usually plays out in small ways, like letting a desperate driver into my line of traffic, or letting a person with 2 items and that "I'm about to lose it I'm running so late" look on their face jump ahead of me in line at the store. In bigger ways, it's something I consider when faced with larger issues, "how can I be part of the solution here?"

My sister lives in Brooklyn. She owns a car and works from home, so her world was not turned upside down this week by the transit strike. On the phone the other day I made a comment about how utterly ridiculous the strike was, and she gave me some of the other side of the story, reminding me that another side did exist. She raised a good point, in my mind - just how bad did things have to be for workers to agree to strike (and lose pay, and incur fines) just a few days before Christmas? She knows people who are on strike and suffering, and she knows people who are struggling to get to work because of the strike.

I don't know the whole story, and never will, and don't have the facts or energy to debate the strike. But I did want to tell you what a cool person my sister is.

She happened upon an elderly woman - using a walker - who had just been turned down by a car service. She stopped and gave her a ride home.

She organized a 6am run to Newark airport for two friends - and (via craigslist) tracked down a 3rd passenger who also needed a ride.

She stopped and gave 3 students a ride into Manhatten last night on her way to drop off some work.

And she brought 3 dozen donuts to some TWU workers and police officers picketing on the overnight shift last night.

That's what I call being part of the solution.