We should all live up to Justin Belt’s standards.

He’s the young man who stopped about noon Sunday on his way home to Junction City and helped after my front driver’s side tire blew out going 70 mph on US-77.

Often no one will bother to stop at all, but it’s a really good thing Justin did. It turns out I had no jack in my car, which I didn’t know because I’ve never had a flat on that car before. I also lack the strength needed to perform certain tasks such as loosening lug nuts.

I watched probably 40 cars drive past. Many of the occupants were dressed in their Sunday best. Given the time of day, it’s a reasonable assumption some of them were driving home from church.

Although he had no clue who I was, Justin espoused concern for a fellow human so many people lack today. Because of him I was able to make it home safely instead of standing next to the road for who knows how long, trying to reach someone who would come to me during lunchtime.

It is also a good thing I’d thought to check the air in my donut tire a few months ago. I seldom think about things like that, but when I checked the donut, it had five pounds of pressure, so I aired it up.

Standing next to a highway without a building in sight, trying to figure out what to do, I might have been afraid of this stranger who stopped to help, but I seldom have the sense to be afraid of anyone. Justin stopped even though there might have been a man hiding behind my car holding a tire iron.

Compassion should reach across the aisles. I’ll try to be more like Justin in the future.

— Phyllis Zorn