AnonymousBy Diane
I was at Shipwreck Park in Santa Barbara on Veteran’s Day with my husband Tom and twin grandsons Ethan & Ellis. When we were ready to leave, Tom took some of our things and said he would bring the car up so
we didn’t have to cross busy Cabrillo Blvd. though there is a light there.
The twins were taking one more ride down the side of the ship slide. I walked across the tanbark with my hands full and didn’t see the step up to the playground rubber matting. I tripped and fell scraping my knee, hitting my left hip and shoulder and wrenching my back.
A little angel appeared at my side and said “Are you ok?” I looked up to see this young Hispanic girl maybe 8-10 years old. We had been watching her and her younger sister on their hovercraft and admiring how well they played together but also how good they were on their Hovercrafts. Their dad was there with his grey, male Schnauzer keeping a close watch on them and moving closer when they decided to play on the playground equipment.
I told her I was ok as I knew nothing was broken but figured at 76 year of age, I was going to hurt tomorrow. As I started to get up the young girl again ask “Are you sure you are ok?” as she took my blanket and folded it then set it beside me. What a thoughtful child and I didn’t get her name. I would like to thank her again.
In this day and age to walk up to a stranger when she is hurt and offer help is amazing and her parents are to be commended for teaching her such wonderful things.
Sweetheart, wherever you are, this old lady thanks you from the bottom of my heart. You are bringing wonderful, kind things to this planet, what our world needs is more people like you.
What a lovely child. ( Not sure of the relevance of noting that she is of Hispanic descent. Perhaps you found that surprising?)
Perhaps Diane, thinking ahead, was merely pointing out that people of color are no less compassionate and human than are others – especially given how they’ve been demonized and persecuted by the former Oval Office usurper.
I for one am glad that she highlighted the young lady’s Hispanic heritage. After all, they and First Nation were here long before we ever arrived.
“I didn’t get her name, I would like to thank her again”.
Diane clearly stated her desire to thank the considerate little lady. In order to accomplish that, she provided information about the girl (8-10 years old and Hispanic), the fact that she had a younger sister, they had hoverboards, their father had a male gray schnauzer.
Obviously Diane included those details so the family in question would recognize themselves; or perhaps a Edhat reader that knows the family will pass the appreciation on to them.
Diane was not surprised that a Hispanic child would be a caring person, and sadly I am not surprised that someone on Edhat would jump to that conclusion.
TOOT, you are obviously well-intentioned so I hope you will consider that your words, and the initial description of the girl, are in fact problematic. Identifying someone by their race or ethnicity when it has nothing to do with the story is not appropriate. The idea that we should identify when *certain* groups of people act positively, even under the guise of “pointing out that people of color are no less compassionate and human than are others,” is borne from racism. Think about it – would you say the same about a white person, to point out that white people are compassionate? Doubtful. We are all learning and have work to do to figure out what it means to truly treat people the same regardless of race/ethnicity. Not describing people by their race when it has nothing to do with what you’re saying is a good step against racist microagressions we may or may not be aware of committing.
Anyway, this is a lovely story and I chose to initially overlook the unfounded and unnecessary description, but it should be discussed. Discussion is how we move forward as a society.
SB TAHOE – as if there were a bunch of other 8-10 year old girls helping up older women from a fall that day at Shipwreck Park with little sisters and a dad with a “grey, male Schnauzer.” Not sure it’s “obvious” she included those descriptions so as to help the family identify that it was their daughters…..
DIANE – that’s a wonderful story, thank you for sharing it and I hope you’re recovering well!