Helping hands.....

[Alun Jones]

I was in the supermarket the other day and overheard a person saying to her friend “I’ve done my good deed for the day and helped someone pick up their shopping. So now I can relax”. I thought “how great that she’s recognised an opportunity to help someone out who needed it”. Very often people walk past each other either oblivious to the fact that someone could use a helping hand, or worried that if we try to interfere/help we might have our offer rejected, or (quite often) we look to see if anyone else is helping first. In the end the person in need often goes without help.

Of course, there is also the responsibility in each of us to ask for help when we need it, rather than just looking around helplessly and hoping someone will offer.

However, let’s go back to the initial situation I observed and the comment that went with it “done my good deed for the day”. Hmmmm. Do we really need to limit ourselves to just the one? Does that mean if we observe another opportunity we can walk passed and not feel we have to do anyone because we’ve done our “good deed for the day”? Of course we can walk past whether or not we’ve done one or twenty “good deeds”. There is no right and wrong here. Sometimes we’re actually not in the best position to be able to help out and there are others who would be more effective.

But I want come back again to the phrase “I’ve done my good deed for the day” and really put that in lights. There is of course no obligation on anyone to help someone out, but is the reason “I’ve done one already” really that great? Imagine if you were struggling with something and you really needed help so asked a person next to you for help and they said “sorry – I’ve done my good deed for the day you’ll have to ask someone else” (or words to that effect which end in ‘off’ !!)

We can feel good knowing that we’ve helped someone, by doing something which really didn’t inconvenience us, or didn’t delay us by much that would really make a difference to someone. Like helping someone up or down the stairs with a pushchair. I’m amazed at how many people walk past a someone struggling with a pushchair or pram. Is it really so much to ask to hold the door open for the person behind us who’s loaded down with bags? Or allow the person with walking difficulties enough space to get off the train or bus before us?
Now I’m not saying put everyone else first and yourself last. That’s a bit like putting everyone else’s oxygen mask on and leaving your own until last meaning you probably die of suffocation!

The thing with life is, we can sometimes be so wrapped up in our own world, trying to get from A to B on automatic pilot, while thinking about other things, and not actually noticing what’s going on around us. As Mary Poppins would say “not seeing passed the end of our nose”. We’re not bad, horrible, or evil – just preoccupied.

So next time you’re walking around, going from A to B, or doing your shopping etc, perhaps notice a little bit more any opportunities to help others. At the end of the day, you will feel good from helping someone out, they will feel good about being helped, and there will be just that little bit more love and kindness in the world. If you’ve never watched the film “Pay It Forward” with Kevin Spacey I’d highly recommend it. If we all paid it forward a bit more the world would be a so much easier and more pleasant to live in ☺

[Alun Jones]

I completely agree, Sarah.. helping others is a great way to feel good and help ourselves.... it also helps raise the vibration of the planet :)
Blessings to you too :)
Alun

[Alun Jones]

thanks, Alexa... I agree there's no right or wrong - that's why this is such a tricky issue I think.... and yes, humanity really needs to wake up :D Have a wonderful week.
alun :)

[Alexa]

You are so right, Alun. Not that there's a right or wrong, mind you! But so poignant. Humanity is still so asleep, we are missing so many opportunities for connection and true community as a species, as a human family. well said.