Brave ole bystanders

Yesterday was an exciting day! Picture this: you’re in your house, sick boy on lounge watching ABC kids, little sister by his side then loud ‘bang’, lights glow bright then normal. The sound of fireworks bursts outside, so out you rush!

By the road you see a dangling wire and the top of a power pole being lit up like New Year’s Eve! Fear and excitement surge through your system as you watch the drama unfold. When will it end? Will it blow up my house? Will my kids be sucked into the tv? Is this the end of the road as we know it? Answers: I don’t know, no, no and of course not!

The live wire dangled to the ground and a car stopped to block the traffic from danger. You see a tree had fallen down randomly and caught the wire that crossed the road, the wire came crashing down and the pretty lights began! Super exciting though some one could have died. It’s always best when people don’t die in these situations, then you are free to marvel at the drama.

The fire engine came and still no sound from my kids glued to the tv. I had to almost physically drrraaaggg them outside to witness the aftermath! It seems that fiction is more exciting than real life. Any hoo, the kids ran inside, glued themselves back onto the tv and kept on watching some animation about ninja chickens while I watch, fingers in mouth, at the brave bystanders who had put themselves in harm’s way to protect others.

Police soon followed with witches hats being placed to block the danger from the public. The bystanders kept standing by until the officials came to map out this perimeter and then they were off, probably with hearts full of purpose and goodness that comes when you give to others. And what a story to tell around the dinner table that night.

There’s something in the human spirit that reaches out to protect the weaker or less knowledgable in communities, for the most part anyway. I love seeing goodness oozing out of people; directing traffic, pointing out dangers to mothers with small sons dressed for footy training, kids on bikes and the elderly. It’s part bravado and part a desire to be in something important. To contribute to society in a positive way. Whenever there’s an accident or high drama there seems to be generous and capable bystanders helping in any way they can! Good on you bloke with ute, congrats truck fella with phone! It could have been disastrous.

Kinda like that (though thankfully, there was no fire for our pole!)