First Aid.

As we left Taft Point a couple was just arriving. The man passed by. The woman came down a bit later. She had fallen on a rock and scraped her hands. Some skin had peeled away -- painful but not very serious. She was asking (him, us?) for a bandage. Rex had a disinfectant wipe. I had some antiseptic cream. The man had bandages. He kind of criticized his mate for falling "You need to be careful on the rocks." It seemed to me that he was embarrassed that she fell and was asking for help.

Hiking away from Taft Point.

A couple of observations.

I felt good about being prepared and being able to help. It was an accident though. I brought the first aid stuff and everything else in my knapsack because I wanted to get used to it before the big Half Dome hike the next day. I didn't really think I'd need it on the easy Taft Point hike. Never know when opportunity will arise.

Even though I'm quick to judge (for example), I would have never thought to judge the woman for falling or the man for being with a woman who would fall and ask for help. Yet this seems to be what the man was worried about. I did judge him for his bad attitude and lack of compassion. Hmmm...

However, before I could walk away totally righteous, I remembered how on a number of occasions I've acted the same way to those I love. How odd that we do this, especially since love and compassion are so beautiful.