Twas A Kindly Day In The Neighborhood

Last Tuesday, I became involved in an incident that played out in my neighborhood, an area which I fondly refer to as the Milton College Historic Neighborhood.  It’s a great neighborhood, rich with history and filled with great people who care and watch out for each other.

While it would not be appropriate for me to share all of the details of what occurred, there are some people who clearly need to be recognized for their part in turning what could have been a very negative situation or even a tragedy into something far better and heartwarming.

Kim Krause was an initial player.  Her compassion and caring for others began this story on the right track.  Susan Probst & Tim Schigur come next exhibiting their professional expertise & skill in providing unconditional positive regard for an unknown person who unexpectedly crossed their path.

As a neighborhood person who just happened to be there I moved the scene to the Tasty Bites restaurant which turned out to be a good place to land as, of course, they have food & coffee.  If you haven’t been there, you should give them a try.  They are great contributors to the community and were extremely gracious & empathetic as this little slice of life continued in one of their booths.  While sharing breakfast & chatting with the main character of this story I initiated some calls to seek out resources for him

The person who answered the phone at Gifts Men’s Shelter was extremely helpful.  Rock County Crisis Intervention, particularly Sarah with whom I spoke, was amazing. While I don’t have his name, the gentleman on the phone at Rock County Communications was so calming & professional.  Milton Officer Ryan Spangler was the epitome of professionalism, caring, and concern.

This story ended with a remarkably good ending.  But, in a way, this ending was just a beginning, especially for the family and individuals closely involved with the main character’s life.  But the take away here is when we care about each other – choosing kindness,  life goes up a notch for all of us.

Those mentioned above make me so proud to live in Milton.  Their caring, concern, and practical help was over the top.  They chose kindness rather than a cold shoulder. They stepped up rather than stepping back. They were proactive rather than being frozen in place by apathy.    Thank you to all of these players.

#KINDNESS#WAM