It was early Spring. I was driving home after dropping my son off at the sheltered workshop where he works a few days a week. I was enjoying the sight of the trees full of light, green leaves. I was smiling at the sun shining in the clear sky and the wild flowers growing along the side of the road. And I was thanking God for a blessed and beautiful day. It was then, though, that I saw them. Standing in front of an old, beat-up car with its hood up was a young couple.

I pulled off the side of the road next to them to see if I could help. The young woman was doing her best to hold back her tears while the man’s tight face was full of frustration at the situation. Their battery had stalled out again and they had barely made it to the side of the road. I helped the man tighten the connections on his battery and then got a pair of jumper cables out of my trunk. I sympathized with what they were going through. Their ancient, ailing, rusting car reminded me of the brown sedan I had when I was their age. In fact, I became quite good at using jumper cables because that old car of mine needed them so often.

I hooked up the two batteries and after a minute their car jumped back to life again. They thanked me for my help but I could see they were still stressed out from the situation. As they drove off I prayed that soon they would be laughing and smiling again.

The problems and pains of this life are only temporary. But the love we have for each other is eternal. Perhaps the best way then to deal with our own suffering here is to learn how to have compassion and caring for others. We are, after all, one family in this world. God put us here to love each other. God put us here to help each other. God gave us kindness and compassion to share with all those we meet. And sometimes it is only our Love that can give another’s worn out heart the jump start it needs to get going again.