Caring for Others

In May 2006, a man set out from base camp to make his third attempt on Mount Everest. He actually reached the summit, but on his way down he ran out of oxygen. As he lay on the side of the mountain dying, 40 climbers passed him by. Some say that at such oxygen-deprived altitudes, rescues are too perilous. But others say that climbers are too eager to reach the top and too selfish to help those in trouble. I wonder what would have happened if someone who passed that stricken climber had said, “I will treat him the way I want to be treated.” (Marvin Williams; May 7, 2008)