21 degrees.

21 degrees. Tonight, as I was driving towards the freeway, I saw a woman walking along the road in through the two feet of snow.  She had bags hanging from each shoulder, and a bundle in her arms that looked to be a baby.  I slowed the car, then I drove on.  And I am sick over it.

At what point can you help your fellow man?  It took everything I had to keep going.  Common sense kept telling me, 'in this day and age, it's not safe,' or 'you are less than a mile from the state prison.'  A single woman by herself late at night should not be picking up strangers off the road but people, 21 degrees.  Bitter cold.  And I let her walk away.

On my way home, 19 degrees now, I looked for her.  There is a little pass under the bridge that she could have been hiding in, it would have blocked most of the wind.  The snow was coming down, the roads were becoming icier by the minute, yet I knew I should stop and look for her. Crazy, but true.  Did I?  No, I hesitantly pulled into the driveway and stopped, giving myself 'not safe' excuse after 'i'm sick' excuse to go in.  And I did.  I'm warm, I'm full, I'm safe.  When is it right to put others first and when is it wrong?  When am I being ridiculous and when am I being selfish?

Do I sound insane?  
This isn't selflessness; this is how far I am from being able to define this line.