Where Is The Compassion?

To the Editor:

It was Friday evening around 5:15, and I was heading down Huntingtown Road toward Orchard Hill after putting my friend’s horses in for the night. As I approached the bridge just beyond the park there was a deer in the road that had obviously been hit by a car and was struggling to get up. It looked like she may have broken a leg. I passed her to turn around so I would be on the same side of the road and give light with my truck so I could call for help. As I was waiting to turn around four to five cars came upon me. I flashed my lights. Not one person stopped to see if “I” needed help and when they got to the deer they simply slowed and went around her. No one cared to stop and help.

It’s bad enough someone hit her and left but now people are just going around her like she is a piece of paper tossed in the road. I was finally able to find a place to pull off the road to turn around and I was turning yet another car went around me and the deer. She was so frightened she dragged herself through the guard rail and tumbled down the hill. I went and turned around again and shined my lights on the field and went to search for her. Evidently she was so frightened she made her way to the woods where she will lay suffering.

I went back to my truck and sat just thinking how people can be so thoughtless. This is supposed to be a season of caring. I wonder if there were any children in the cars that just went around the deer. What reason was given to them? We are in a hurry? Someone else will do something? I think everyone needs to step back and slow down and realize what life is really all about.

We need to care about each other as humans and we need to treasure nature. As Christmas approaches let’s be more compassionate towards each other and our wildlife.

Lenore McAuliffe

170 Todd Hill Road, Bethlehem                                                                     December 5, 2008