No, I'm not talking about Michael Phelps winning for the umpteenth time, nor am I mentioning the scandal that is currently going on with Ryan Lochte and whatever may or may not have happened that one night out.
I'm talking about the collision heard round the world. Two runners were competing in a 5000 meter run, when unfortunately, Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand stumbled in the mass of women that were running, and in doing so, caused the runner directly behind her, Abbey D'Agostino of the USA to trip and fall as well. In the race chaos, D'Agostino hopped back up, helping her competitor get to her feet as well, before both women began to race again. Or, for D'Agostino, attempted to. It was clear from the moment the USA runner got back up, she was injured somehow on her right leg. The pain she was experiencing was written all over her face.
D'Agostino attempted to continue running, before her knee gave out on her. In another show of humanity, Hamblin returned the favor, helping her competitor to once again, get back up and finish the race.
Both women finished last, but the kindness did not stop there. As soon as D'Agostino crossed the finish line, she embraced Hamblin, before she was ushered into a wheelchair, as she clearly was still in a large amount of pain. Despite the failing to qualify, both runners will be allowed to run in the final meet, at the urging of their teams.
This moment of humanity between two countries is exactly what the world needed right now. When the terror of ISIS threatens anyone and everyone. When the US is almost having their own civil war of presidential nominees. Europe was recently thrown into chaos when the United Kingdom decided to exit the European Union. Police brutality seems to be at an all time high. Many fear the idea of traveling, while the horror of terrorism is currently reigning.
This small moment, this small show of humanity from one human being to another, is exactly what the world needs right now. We need the reassurance that not everyone is a terrible human being, that is willing to hurt and/or kill someone at a moment's notice. There is goodness in the world. All one has to do is not ignore the goodness, but help it.
