If there is one thing that makes my blood pressure rise it is the absence of a vehicle’s turn signal being utilized in front of me while driving in my car. In 1909 a British man by the name of Percy Douglas-Hamilton patented a set of hands attached to a car that illuminated to warn others of a turn. In 1939 Buick made it a manufacturing standard for every vehicle it produced and since then every single vehicle that drives on the roadway including even Amish horse and buggies are equipped with turn signals.

These simple blinking lights warn others about an action or behavior you are about to do before you actually do it. This simple gesture however could possibly be much more complex than meets the eye, and the absence of these signals by those around us may actually tell us much more about the current world in which we live.

Turn signals are a “courtesy tool” and one that must be consciously engaged as a means of showing care to complete strangers. The absence of so many turn signal users encountered on a daily basis got me thinking about what this means for our communities and country as a whole. Present day offers so much negative or concerning news within an arm’s reach no matter where you turn whether it is television, radio or social media.

With so much anger, hate and criticizing seen on a regular basis by so many, there may be a connection between the absence of turn signals and the absence of empathy by many in our country. It is concerning to think that we are turning into an eccentric country where we are not able to easily relate to others nor can we respond in an empathetic way through our daily interactions.

Sadly it seems that many times it takes a major tragedy in our communities before we break out of our own heads and stop to consider how we can help and support others around us. Rather, we should embrace the small opportunities and little acts that are afforded to us on a daily basis that can be shared and offered to our neighbors, friends, family and complete strangers to create a culture of care. It can easily be the littlest act of signaling in your car when you are making a turn to show everyone that empathy is not dead.

Mike Resh Jr.

Elementary School Counselor, Children’s Book Author and Lehighton Area High School Alum