Helping out where we can
When someone close to us in our lives has a crisis how far do we go to help out?
When someone not so close to us has a crisis how far do we go to help out then? And what about someone we don’t know at all, a stranger in the street?
Recently on UK tv there have been a number of programmes based around strangers helping others who need it. Usually the ‘helper’ is extremely wealthy and helps financially. The results have often been life changing for the recipient. The results for the helper have often been life changing too as they realise what great benefits they can bring to others with a little bit of thought and sharing a little of what they have.
Most of us don’t have great wealth. It is often difficult to find enough for our own needs without considering what others need, but in a crisis we all can find that little bit extra to help out.
Often it isn’t money that is needed. We can give our time, we can give our compassion, we can give our support, and all of these are free and only cost us a bit of effort.
Help out where you can. The rewards can be immense.
Enjoy the journey.
More From mandyallen
I quite agree Mandy. Money is irrelevant when it comes to helping people. As long as you’re willing to spend TIME, that’s the precious commodity which is in such short supply. Being altruistic has the added bonus of making you feel good about yourself, and therefore happier.
John
Hi John, I’m trying the new reply system and you are the first to experience it!
Yes, doing something freely for others does indeed make us feel good.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy,
Timely post here. You are 100% correct my dear. With the global economy going down hill I do not think it will be long before we will be back to doing things for each other in trade. As a matter of fact I already try to do things like this.
I had some trees taken down from my yard because they were sick and dieing. The price to do this was VERY expensive so I talked to the guy and I ended up trading my boat (which I was going to sell anyway). He was happy, I was happy and no cash came out of pocket.
Something that you need to keep in mind is that many people do not like taking charity, but would like to do something to recipricate. So take care of their needs but let them do something for you also. It will make both of you feel better.
Jay
Nice post and a great attitude, Mandy. I know from experience that you truly believe in helping where you can and so do several of my friends.
It’s so nice to find someone who follows her beliefs with more than talk.
Pat
Hi Jay, yes indeed, we all like to reciprocate a kindness.
Enjoy the journey
Mandy
Hi Pat, there are people in the world willing to give freely to others without expecting anything in return, you and your friends fall into that bracket.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy, I like what you wrote. The world would be such a better place if everyone would think this way. Terry Conti
Hi Terry, we can all help in little ways, some choose to, others don’t, it’s sad.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hello Mandy,
Another great post, there have always been philanthropists (the old fashioned term for rich people helping others) and the fact that it is an old custom (actually it was much more common before the welfare state) shows that it is a human trait to want to help others, because if someone who is very wealthy wants to help people when they can do just about anything they want with their money, it shows that helping people gives a huge lift to the givers as well as the recipient.
You are absolutely right that for many people, helping does not need to be financial, and the other posts show how many other ways people find to help each other. A very refreshing alternative to the greed shown in recent events such as the banking scandals etc.
Nice to know that there are still plenty of people showing the better side of humanity.
Best Regards
Dave
Hi Dave, thanks for visiting. Yes, a great number of people give freely, not always financially but other types of giving are equally as valuable and well received. Think about a terminally ill person who is house bound and just wants someone to sit and spend a little time with them each day. What a great gift to give someone.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
I agree with you, even if we don’t have money, we can still help out, we can give them our time and support and this is equally important as money.
Wow! Exactly my thoughts. TIME is so much more precious than an expensive gift. True friendship is spending time with one another not buying the most expensive gift. Recently I was lucky enough to celebrate my 40th birthday and one friend of mine was most upset she couldn’t buy be a “significant” present.
Now, I repeat what I said to her. The friendship we share is worth more than any amount of money you could spend on a present. So give me a smile for my birthday, write me a poem or tell me a song you would like to dedicate to me. All great gifts and no cost atall.
Thanks Mandy for another very timely and highly appropriate post. Hope you are well.
Lots of Love,
Sparkles xxxxxxx
Hi Mandy,
I like what you said in your post. Often times a lot of people are consumed in their own lives that they don’t take time for others but if they did than their own life will be better from it. It’s true you don’t have to give in a monetary value, time is a greater value and if you can give that to someone and touch their lives because of that than you will have succeeded in the end!
The best to you,
Anna
Hi Rosie, thanks for spending a little time to visit! Yes, it is so important to give others our time when we can, and it brings such great rewards. Hope you had a great birthday! Be lovely to see you sometime!
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Anna, thank you for visiting. Your words are very true, we do touch others in so many different ways and bringing that extra special something might not always be known to us, so give freely and let others receive. It will be returned tenfold.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy,
Your post brings to mind the quote, ‘being rich is having money and being wealthy is having time.’ Life is really about love, relationship with self and others, connection, and health. I’ve heard many stories where the pursuit of material things soon turns to the person seeking purpose and meaning. There is no meaning without, as you’ve said, ‘helping out where we can.’
Have a beautiful week ahead,
Kim
Hi Kim, thanks for visiting. I agree with your comment. I do find though that some people simply do not make time for others. It’s a shame that they miss out on the great rewards that come from giving freely.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy, never a truer word said. Only last week i was talking to one of my brothers about a situation he has and my advice was to offer the person time, it’s the greatest gift you can give someone in need.
Take care Mandy, back soon.
Regards, Barry
Hi Barry, thanks for visiting. Yes, time is a precious commodity and one we can share with others.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Kay, sorry for the delay in responding, your comment ended up in my spam box! It won’t happen again. Thanks for visiting, glad you enjoyed the post. Hope to see you here again soon.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
hey mandy
great post your blog looks really good ive only set my one up its running now about a week keep up the good work
Davy
Hi Mandy,
I had this issue with my dad, he wasn`t in the money what so ever and sometimes it was heartbreaking seeing him live like that after working hard all his life, with nothing to show for it!
I was forever helping him the best I could against his proud wishes, and it wasw 10 years ago when i attempted to work for myself on the net to try and give my dad a better life as well as me, but my dad passed away long before i seen any success online, that destroyed a part of me that has made me ever more determined to success exponentially!
Great post Mandy….Ed.
Hi Mandy, it’s nice to land on your blog from LionsLinger.
This is such a good reminder to help people out. One day, I was driving down the freeway and there was a person on the side that needed help. I rolled down the window and gave the man $1. I hope it helped his day out. As I remember, he said, “God bless you. It’s the only dollar I have.”
I believe that little things can make a big change in the world. Thanks for this Mandy and also, great blog!
Hi, Davy, nice to see you here. Thanks for the visit, keep up the good work!
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Ed, you are destined to succeed on here, we have all seen you grow so much over the time we’ve know you. It’s been a pleasure working with you.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Hulbert, thanks for visiting and for the kind comments. I do believe it is the very smallest things that make the very biggest difference to other people.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Beautiful simple post Mandy…with a powerful message.
Thanks for the reminder that its not only financial aide that helps, but we all need emotional support too.
Thanks for the gentle reminder…
Kathy
Hi Kathy, lovely to see you here! Yes, we can give so much that costs us little but helps enormously.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy
How right you are, you can never help anyone without helping yourself.
This is why, one of the first things that I do with clients who have been in treatment for a long period of time, is arrange for them to volunteer to help others. Other people receive their support and clients learn that even though you may have been on the receiving end of help for a long period of time; you still have something to give. This always builds a clients confidence in themselves and hope for the future.
Great Blog!
Best, Theresa
Hi Teresa, thanks so much for visiting. How splendid to give so much back when you have been able to receive! Thanks for sharing.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Very much enjoyed reading your words and thank you for your thoughtful comments on my post today. They were much appreciated. I think I saw this TV program when I was in UK last August – at least one like this.
I was always so grateful when someone would come to the house and stay with my mum for a couple of hours while she slept so that I could get a shower or a couple of jobs done that got missed when the need was greater.
A woman came one day a week to read to her, which also gave me an hour to do something else. Those were blessings indeed.
I could have used someone to just listen to me for an hour a week too….keep me grounded.
I do not think those things cost a great deal – just time.
Hi Patricia, thanks for visiting. What powerful sentiments, I can feel your gratitude to those people in your words. It is often difficult to find the right person to listen, and sometimes those people don’t have too much time. We must give what we can, I believe.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hey Mandy, such a thought provoking post, not everything can be solved by throwing money at someone.
I am from the UK too and a popular showed based on this “give them lots of money to help them” was criticized because most of the people are on benefits, and if you come into a large sum of money, normally your benefits would be suspended, not sure if this is the case, me never having been given a large sum of money or being on benefits.
I feel that particular solution is short term and wont really help people in the long term, once the cameras are gone, Sally
Hi Mandy,
I confess it’s been awhile since i visited your blog, and yet again you have humbled me?
Food for thought again
We could all do so much more to help others around us, often if only we knew or took the time to ask we would be surprised how little was required other than a kind word or some simple support. It has become all too easy just to take a couple of Dollars (or pounds) and donate to the latest plea when we should really be considering making a personal contribution
Thank you
Richard
Hi Sally, thanks for visiting. This is interesting because the ones I watched the money was given to projects that help people rather than individuals. Maybe we aren’t talking about the same one. Time is free and it does help so very much.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Richard, thanks for visiting. Yes, our time is precious but we can share it around if we really try. One less tv programme a week…
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy
As a charity organiser my experience is that people will give money but not time.
Trying to recruit people to help with collections is almost impossible.
Money yes – time no.
So frustrating.
Hi Keith, thanks for visiting. Yes, I believe you are probably right. There is far more inclination to pop a little in the box and leave the work to someone else, although I am not one who does that and nor are you. However on a personal level I think people give a lot of time to others, freely, and there is enormous value in that.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy,
I agree. When need be, we can all find some extra cash to donate, or if nothing else, words of support.
I remember a time when I had was experiencing a death in my family and a friend of mine was there to just listen. It meant the world to me.
Hi Barbara, thanks for visiting. A listening ear is so valuable to us at times, I agree. Often we don’t need the other person to say anything at all, just to listen.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hi Mandy.
I believe that even just being open to helping others helps us to step out of our own worries and fears. The more open we are to helping out, the more our boundaries drop and we stop labeling people. And… I bet… with this boundary down, we are more available to others who want to help us. Asking for help is a challenge for a lot of people. This is so much a two-way street.
Hi Davina, thanks for visiting. I agree, there are too many people who have shut themselves off to the idea of helping someone else in any way. It is a selfish attitude but sometimes giving something seems to others as thought they are being put upon. Such a shame.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Mandy,
Thank you for stopping by my blog. Lovely site you have here! And such a great post. I believe it was Mother Teresa who said that we can do no great things. Just small things with great love. I think that’s true, but sometimes we think we must save up or expend loads of effort to make a difference or to help someone. It’s helpful to think about what small act of kindness could I do right now – whether it’s to make eye contact and offer a real smile to someone, or hold a door for her, or pay for the coffee of the person behind you in line at Starbucks (an interesting new phenomenon here in the US, done anonymously, of course). I appreciate your message of reaching out to lend a hand in whatever way we can. Yes, we can. Blessings to you!
Hi Jan, thanks for visiting. I am glad you like my blog! It always nice to get good feedback – there, you have done the ‘make eye contact and smile’ bit already! Made my day, anyway. Small things with great love, definitely agree with that, and I love the coffee story. I saw a chap with a small baby in the supermarket once struggling to scrape enough together at the check out for a loaf of bread – he didn’t quite make it and went to put it back on the shelf, so I gave him a pound. He nearly cried. What is the world coming to that someone hasn’t enough for bread for their child?
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Nice post! You truly have a wonderful way of writing which I find captivating! I will definitely be bookmarking you and returning to your blog. In fact, your post reminded me about a strange thing that happened to me the other day. I’ll tell you about that later…
Thanks for visiting, hope to see you here again.
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy
Hey Mandy,
I love the crucial concept you spread wherever you go. Enjoy the journey. So many folks have forgotten about this.
As for helping, there is no doubt about the fact that we must help. Our humanity depends on it.
Thanks missus.
Barry
Hi Barry, thanks for visiting. It is crucial that we enjoy what we do. So many times I see people simply not enjoying their lives, stuck in places that hurt or are uncomfortable. We must have morals, but we must also have the ability to recognise when we need to move on. Anyway, I’m a hedonist!
Enjoy the journey.
Mandy