Helpers
- Jul 15
- 3 min read
My dear reader, I must start with a confession. I sat at my desk for quite some time before finally starting to write this post. I tend to be a neat and organized person in my home; however, my desk often has little pieces of paper with quotes or random ideas scribbled on them. They are all potential topics, but what might have piqued my interest one day doesn't always inspire me on another. I pulled out a few of those pitches for a hopefully interesting essay and came up empty. My brain just couldn't seem to connect. So, after an hour or so, I decided to take a break and catch up on emails. Whoomp, there it was! A quote from Mr. Rogers that spoke to me out loud:
"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of disaster, I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers -- so many caring people in this world."
Whether we watch the news or try to avoid it at all costs, there's no way to not hear about disturbing events in the world. We can try to limit our exposure, and I highly recommend doing that, but something is going to slip in.
You know how it's impossible to drive by an accident on the highway without slowing down and gawking? Traffic will often slow down almost as much on the opposite side of the road as the affected side. Now, think about what you're looking at. Probably trying to see who was involved, how bad the damage is, speculating how it happened. It's easy to get sucked into the awfulness and imagine the worst. If we take Mrs. Rogers' good advice, we can shift our energy around. Look for the first responders -- police, fire department, ambulance. Offer a short prayer and rather than letting yourself dwell on a bad outcome, imagine the best possible end result. With practice, you can do this in any situation.
Even more empowering is how can we step up and BE a helper? The truth is, we love to help even from an early age. As a perinatal educator for over 45 years I've worked with women during their pregnancies, labor & delivery, and the post partum months after. There is always an adjustment for a sibling when the new baby arrives. One of the best ways to assist with this new set up is to include the older child and have them "help" out with the baby. Depending on the age of the child, it could be something as simple as getting a diaper so Mom can change the infant or an older child holding and cuddling the newborn.
As adults, it might feel hard to know of a situation and not know what to do. We might not be in a position to pull over to an accident scene and offer assistance, but we might find many other ways to come to the rescue. Even small monetary donations to causes that we support can add up and contribute to doing good. Money isn't the only commodity we can offer -- our time and presence is often valued even more. Some of my best experiences have been volunteering with friends at different organizations. All this gives us an opportunity to be grateful for whatever we have in our own lives and practicing the art of giving back or paying it forward. It also helps if we can find a way to hold some little bit of positive energy around any situation.
If you find yourself feeling frustrated or falling into a sense of hopelessness with whatever tragedy barges into your awareness, pause for a moment. Look for the helpers or see if there's something you can do, either up close or remotely. It doesn't help to get caught up in wishing it didn't happen. "It" did, and now, what can we do? You've got this!
Sending Sparkles and Love Your Way!
Comments