Cynical Samaritan

“I think I need therapy” is a statement I have made more than once in the past couple of weeks. After witnessing a traumatic scene and having constant PTSD, I started to have a different but positive outlook on therapy and the importance of mental health.

The day was great. Perfect weather. Perfect stream of events and a great way of wrapping it up was to see a friend off in her taxi. We had not gone so far off when we noticed cars slowing down. We were wondering what the fuss was about when our driver pointed to the roadside and said “that old man who was walking now just slumped”. As we drove past slowly and silently, we saw cars parked beside the elderly man who was now lying flat and almost lifeless by the roadside. My heart skipped many beats. I was worried, scared, confused and started to experience PTSD all over again. I prayed silently and wished him well. On my way back home, I passed by the scene and this time it looked like he had given up. I continued my journey with a lot of thoughts flooding my mind. “Was I meant to stop and join the people around him?” “But there was a lady there who seemed like she will help?” “What if the police appear and take all of us to the police station?” “What if I had to go with them to the hospital?” The questions kept pouring in and I wished for once that the Nigerian system was a lot better. A system where people were not afraid to come to the aid of strangers who have suffered one casualty or the other.

It took me about an hour after I left the scene to decide that I was going to go back to the man regardless of the outcome. I made my way back to the scene, hoping that one way or the other I could do something to make peace with what I had witnessed.  However, what I saw after shocked me. There was no one else but this man still lying unconsciously by the roadside with a bottle of water that was placed beside him. As I walked closer, I saw him turn his body to a different direction “he’s alive” my spirit leapt with joy. That was the peace I needed. I moved away quickly afterwards from the man who will never know the stranger who came all the way to check on him and I who will never know the stranger who laid helplessly on the roadside.

P.s-John 8:7