I was blessed this weekend to have the opportunity to help family and friends. I was able to put my skills and God given gifts to use to make a difference. Maybe it wasn't huge to them, but it was huge to me. I sometimes joke that I am a sucker, but it isn't that. I put myself out there deliberately, I want to be needed and be able to help others. It makes me feel good. It is purely selfish for me, I will admit it!
This weekend I had the chance to deliver firewood, help with a move, celebrate with friends, make jerky for my boys, paint walls, have quality time with hubby, work on a quilt that is a gift, cut hair and even do a perm for a neighbor. All of those things were gifts of my time and skills. In exchange I had my bucket filled.
I believe in doing things for others. Just as others do things for me. I believe that it is basically team work that makes the world better. This weekend I had a caring neighbor call me when our power went out for a while during a heavy rain, we were able to rush home, get the generator running just in time to prevent our basement from flooding. Our friends drove quite a distance to celebrate an evening with us. My hubby made me dinner when I was simply too tired to move another inch. My daughter offered to come help us if we were flooded. My girl gave me a set of pillows. Ironically her sofa is the same fabric as mine but her's came with the pillows I had really loved. They don't go with her color scheme, they look great with mine!
Its the give and take that makes things work. I don't know about you, but I receive so much more goodness in my heart when I can help people, it makes me feel human. It feels up my emotional bucket. I need that. I need to believe in the good of people.
The news is so bleak, so many people today have lost basic human and social skills. Too many folks are waiting for our various governments to give them stuff. They have forgotten that when they give of themselves, those things come back. You simply don't need stuff, you need the goodness of caring people.
I cannot afford a kennel for my boys when I go on holidays or trips. I have dear friends that willingly cross the road several times a day to take care of all my babies. In exchange I will do haircuts and perms for them, other things that they need to make their lives easier.
I am teaching a quilting class, I am not getting paid for it, but I am. I am watching community being built again. That is worth more to me than money.
I keep praying that our world will remember that we need each other, that we need to be part of a community. That the gift of our time with whatever skill we have to give will be returned with another person giving a gift of their time and skills to you. Sometimes it is material, sometimes it is not. The most basic of needs, we can help each other meet them.
I am blessed! I have family and friends that care about me, that help me each day in the path I am walking. I hope they feel that they have me also. I strive to give what I can. Do you do that in your daily walk?
I truthfully believe that we can all make a difference in the world around us. We can care a bit more, do a bit extra, give just a little more... How many times have you made too much dinner? Do you know someone that might not have dinner, a neighbor or friend going through a rough spot? Mowing your grass, is it going to take that much of your life to cut your neighbors? Running to the store, do you know someone that might not be able to do that right now, can you help them?
The difference we can make is amazing, we are far more powerful than we realize and I am so blessed to have so many in my life that make me stronger.
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