I hesitated to write about this seemingly embarrassing issue, but I feel it’s important to share. I have mild cerebral palsy, which sometimes causes me to trip more easily than others, especially when I’m not fully attentive or feeling tired. My brain doesn’t automatically send signals to my feet to walk heel-to-toe, so I consciously focus every time I take a step to ensure I walk properly. If I don’t, I risk long term foot malformations and becoming wheelchair bound. Though it happens only every few months, when I do trip, it can be quite bad, resulting in skinned knees and considerable pain.

What surprises me most is that every time I’ve fallen, especially in places like Bellingham, no one ever asks if I’m okay. People just glance and keep walking, seeming unbothered or even disgusted that I fell. Even older individuals have walked by without stopping or acknowledging the incident. Once, two college students saw me fall late at night, smiled, and continued on their way without offering any help. I thought it was strange the first few times, but as this is a frequent issue, I began to notice a troubling pattern.

Initially, I had assumed this was limited to the homelessness, but I now realize it extends to other vulnerable situations as well. There’s a genuine lack of concern when someone falls, which points to a broader problem where people are increasingly disconnected from one another; a breakdown in community concern.

These falls often occur in moderately busy areas, such as when walking back from the university or in residential neighborhoods. And in both instances that I remember clearly, there were witnesses who just watched but didn’t stop or show any concern. Today, while carrying my suitcase after moving, I tripped on uneven ground. A neighbor was nearby, but they chose to look away and didn’t even ask if I was okay, even though I was in tears, visibly hurt, and right in their presence.

Maybe people think I’m embarrassed because I’m younger and don’t have any noticeable physical impairments apart from walking with a slight limp. Many people don’t even realize that I have cerebral palsy since it’s not too prominent in social settings. Regardless, it makes me wonder how things would be different in Europe, where I’m heading soon.European culture seems more considerate and collaborative, and I’m curious to see if people there would react differently if I were to fall.

In the end, it’s likely a cultural thing, and people might not even realize they’re doing it. While seemly small, this points to a much larger issue. I observe and hope that in a culture of interdependence like Europe’s, such incidents would prompt concern and compassion, as it’s the little things that can make a significant difference in someone’s life.