A Good Samaritan is not just for Christmas - it should be for life.

So Christmas is almost here - bringing with it the season of goodwill. 

Surely being a good person doesn't begin on Christmas Eve and end the day after Boxing day?

I like to think it's an all year round thing. No - I know it's an all year round thing.

Take for instance a young woman named Cathryn. She saw another woman in trouble, and immediately went to help her. The woman's car had got stuck on ice. What did Cathryn do? Quick thinking, she ran into a nearby shop, bought a bag of cat litter, and used the litter to give the woman's car tires the needed grip on the ice. 

And if that wasn't good Samaritan enough, she didn't even hang around to be thanked or paid for the cat litter. 

Then there's the man who found my house keys back in the summer. He didn't have access to the internet, so he got his daughter and her friend to post on Facebook about my missing keys. Thanks to their thoughtful help, I not only got my keys back, but made some good friends too. 

Also the neighbours in my locale who rushed to help an old lady who fell in her drive and broke her hip. Calling the ambulance and helping her equally elderly husband.

There are many wonderful folk throughout the year who give their unpaid help to their communities, working in charities shops, animal shelters, food banks - etc. 

It seems such a shame to me that the Christmas message often gets applied to just Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and if you are British, Boxing day - when it is obvious to me that goodwill is alive and healthy throughout the year.

That said, if, thanks to Christmas, those who are not caring and sharing the rest of the year get a kick up their selfish butts, and are nice for a few days - then ding dong merrily on high - I suppose. 

The cynic in me says come the day after Christmas - for the mean spirited among us, the idea of joy to the world will be thrown out with the unwanted fir tree. 

The optimist in me says, maybe, just maybe they will have found a sliver of enjoyment in showing goodwill to strangers - but if they don't, then I am glad there are good people in this world like Cathryn, and Brian, and his daughter Sally. 

Looking on the bright of life is something I try to do - I don't always succeed, but hey - 

I couldn't say it any better than Eric Idle in Python's - Life of Brian -

Ad-on --- I've just been told that anyone accessing this article by phone can't see the YouTube clip - so here is the link 
- https://youtu.be/SJUhlRoBL8M

 to one and all -