Stories of good people don't always make the news

I had a gentle reminder recently that really hit home with me. I’m sharing it here because I thought it might hit home with you, too.

A couple I know went through a scary situation in our area two weeks ago. I’m going to omit names and specific details.

Suffice it to say the woman was unexpectedly assaulted in a place where she often walks and where it never occurred to her to feel unsafe.

Fortunately she was not critically injured and an arrest was made within hours.

A few days after the incident, I was visiting with her husband when he told me something I did not expect to hear.

Obviously, they were both shocked that this had happened, but here was their takeaway.

“We don’t think this is a bad place,” he said. “We met one bad person that day … and a hundred good ones.”

Those “hundred good ones” began with friends who called for help, he said, and continued with the first responders who showed up “in less than two minutes.”

It also included emergency room staff and neighbors and family members and church friends and others who reached out immediately, and who continue to reach out.

When a violent crime happens (and tragically, we have had some horrific ones in eastern New Mexico recently), most of what we hear tends to focus on the unlawful act and the person who committed it.

I’m not pretending that wasn’t an important part of this story.

But it truly warmed my heart to think about how many good people rose up to come to the aid of this woman, to make sure she had immediate assistance, and to remind her and her husband of the strength and power of a loving community.

The “hundred good people” don’t make the news as often as they should. Neither do the millions … or rather billions … of others just like them.

But they did today.

Betty Williamson tips her hat to wise friends who chose to see the silver lining. Reach her at:

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