A man lies helpless on the sidewalk after having been robbed and beaten ‑ people walk right by. A blind man stands on a sidewalk holding out a bent tin cup for a nickel or dime for food ‑ people walk on by. A young woman is stopped on the side of the highway ‑ with a flat tire helpless. Motorists drive on by. A young, married man, father of a two‑year‑old daughter, is involved in an expressway accident and lies for two hours on the side of the road until he finally dies. The motorists speed by.

People just don't want to get involved. Why does it take Brotherhood Week to make them realize their responsibilities? Brotherhood should not be a term that is applied and used in just one specific week of the year. It should be as normal as getting up in the morning and going to bed at night. All it takes is a friendly smile, a helping hand, a willing heart, or a word of

encouragement when someone's down and out. It may take a little work; but "getting involved" could bring many rewards, even if it's only a sense of pride in knowing one helped somebody out.

Brotherhood should be everywhere - all the time, every day. It shouldn't take a big snowstorm or a specific week to remind us. It shouldn't take a tragic fire or a school bus accident. Brotherhood should be as much a part of our lives as eating or breathing.

When someone needs help, whether it's one person or many, any day of the year, no matter what the conditions, a friendly, helping hand will not only be appreciated but will bring surprising rewards. Don't let a tragic accident or winter storm suddenly remind us of Brotherhood; let these kinds of things be just another job for all those who practice Brotherhood.