This Is A Problem

Over the past week we've been out and about and having lots of friends over on numerous occasions so I'm  finally getting around to writing this story now after having a few days to ponder. Warning, this is not light subject material.
On Tuesday I was riding the Edmonton public bus, which is something I don't do often but prefer over driving down town on horribly snowy roads and looking for the limited, but ever expensive, parking spots. Public transit is always an adventure and I have many a story about the interesting individuals I've met or situations I have observed while riding the bus. On this particular day the bus was stalled due to the combination of cold weather and piles of snow so we spent quite a while just sitting and waiting. At this point a guy (we'll call him Guy) wandered up to the front seat I was sitting in, kind of checked me out (very obviously), grinned (rather disgustingly) and then sat in the seat adjacent to me. I'm already feeling awkward at this point and thankful that my stop was coming up soon once the bus finally got rolling again. Across from Guy was a man who was very obviously blind and mentally challenged, just rocking back and forth, minding his business. He looked like he was having a rough time and just wasn't well taken care of. Out of no where he spoke up and asked if anyone could spare some change because he was a $1.75 short for the laundry soap he was going to buy. Guy was the first to respond and seemed to mishear the man because he said, "Just stay on the bus and they'll never know you didn't pay. It doesn't matter". The other man corrected him and restated his request to which Guy immediately replies with "Well that's not my problem!". All I could think of at that moment was "WOW! That just happened". I reached into my wallet and pulled out the change to give to the man, after which Guy looks at me and says, "That was really nice of you" with this odd grin that I struggled to interpret. For the rest of my ride the man made small talk with me and told me lots about his plans to buy the laundry soap at Capilano Wal-Mart. For the rest of the day I was thinking about this event and just could not believe what the one man had said.

That's not my problem!

I wish I had some witty and shocking response to say to him in that moment because I was completely in disbelief this was his first response when becoming aware of someone else's needs. I don't care that the man was a stranger and that he was a little awkward to talk to and probably not the most loved guy around; he was not in the wrong asking for a little honest help. I suppose that Guy was right, it technically wasn't his problem; at least not on the surface. The rest of the day I couldn't help but think of what the world would be like if everyone maintained this approach to life. We cannot exist this way, simply working on our own problems and refusing to give or receive help from any one else. I suppose this is an extreme extrapolation of the concept but I can definitely see how each one of us, in our own way, acts on the principle that "it's not my problem". I think this happens when we choose to turn a blind eye to something we know isn't exactly right or when we are confronted with an unjust situation but choose not to stand against it. I think the explanation that justifies these actions, as small and innocent as they can seem, is that it's just not our problem and, therefore, we're not the ones who have to deal with it.  

Since I have a tendency to write on and on and on (something my professors were all too familiar with!), here are some of the basic thoughts that I have on the matter, which are a little more fleshed out in my mind but would continue into a 15 page rant if I didn't restrict myself a little. If you feel provoked, perturbed or have any other emotional or intellectual response, feel free to comment!

- We all necessarily exist within the context of community and cannot live completely independent of others. Therefore, due to this interconnectedness we are affected by the choices of others and therefore what's a problem for one person, should also be seen as a problem for us. 

- If we try to live independently, looking out for our needs and our wants above all, these individual pursuit of independence will eventually collide. We may fix our perceived problem or achieve our goals, but at what expense to others? Doesn't it just make more sense to live alongside others instead of trying to come out on top?

- This is a problem I see far too often in the behaviour of students I work with. Even at the age of 10, kids communicate with their words and actions that they are looking out for themselves and don't care about how their consequences of their choices affect their world and their community. This breaks my heart because I recognize that, for various reasons both from instruction and experience, they have been raised to think this way. If this way of thought continues through their development, what choices are they going to make as adults?

- I am thankful to be surrounded by so many amazing individuals and positive environments that I sometimes become oblivious to this tragic reality. I am encouraged and inspired to commit myself to serving others and considering their needs with care and responsiveness. It's because of these people and places in my life that I am aware of the serious problems and flaws with this guy's simple but revealing statement.