April 27, 2020, Monday
Helpers
When Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson announced they had the Covid19 virus while filming in Australia the whole world paid attention. I remember one of the first things he said was, “watch for the helpers”. Something he had learned by playing Mr. Rogers in a movie. Mr. Rogers did always say that and I like that Mr. Hanks was quick to point that out, it seems he learns lessons from the characters he plays. But all through this quarantine time I have indeed been looking for the helpers and there are many!
The Frontline workers in the hospitals and nursing facilities and drive through testing places are massive and they are amazing! But I’ve noticed little tidbits here there of everyday people helping too. Yes, there’s been big donations to organizations helping to feed people and as mentioned in my previous blogs, zoom meetings have been set up to help us stay connected with “our people”, our recovering people! What a treasure and gift this has been. All of them are helpers!
Then there’s our adult kids who ask if we need something if they are going to a store near us. There is a sweet neighbor girl that I’ve known since she was three and now works at Wal-Mart, a place I refuse to go to, but she has brought me a couple of things that I get from there. There are friends who keep asking, “Do you need anything”? There is lots of prayer and church videos to keep us uplifted and on track. There are celebrities posting their stay at home music videos, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed John Legend and Sam Smith on the One World- Together at home special, Lady Gaga played one of my mom’s favorite songs in the opening, “Smile”. But it made me cry!
Helpers, all of them, all in their own ways, food banks, senior citizen centers, teachers, relatives, even banks and loan places. And we all know about all of these “Helpers” but what about you? What about me? How am I helping? My capabilities and availabilities can only go so far. I ask my neighbors when I see them outside if they are doing ok. I call friends and relatives from time to time to see how we’re all doing. A group of us do a private Zoom meeting that we just chat in and this helps a lot. It’s a nice reprieve and visit with the girlfriends, I pretend we’re all sitting together at a café or in one of our living rooms.
I have to admit, my only way to help at this time is monetarily, I don’t have much, but I gladly share with those that are working on the frontlines and helping save lives. I gladly share with people who are out helping people. I am not able to go out and do that anymore, but I am able to give a little. I will and do share experience, strength and hope with anyone who wants some of that from me. I love to do that! (hence the blogging) I’ve been blessed in many ways due to my decision to get and stay clean no matter what. I just want to share my blessings with others as best I can.
Yesterday two of my grandson’s and my grandson’s wife came and helped put a new floor in my kitchen! What a blessing they are. And they were so sweet about it all. See! That’s why I want to share/give back. God has been mighty good to us and I’m so grateful. I was told when I was new in recovery “You have to give it away to keep it” and that is still true to this day! I wish I could be a bigger helper but I do what I can and I’m so grateful to all those helpers, frontlines and back lines, everyone doing their part to be a “Helper” of some kind!
Question of the week: Do you see the Helpers? What Helper really got your attention during the quarantine?
Are you a “Helper”? In what ways? Any ideas?
*I seen a post yesterday where a mama went and parked her car like in a Wal-Mart parking lot and a friend pulls up beside her and watches the kids from her car. This is a big help to single mom’s who do not have anyone to watch their kids and to help keep kids safe, out of the stores. – it’s the little things.
Helpers are everywhere, I get to see them everyday, I like how they pull together old ones and new ones, and my favorite thing is when an idea turns into a thing and its off and running, I am not tooting my own horn, but this was awesome I have to share, So, where i work we have Veterans from all over the united states. We house them feed them, and try to heal them all free to them we only exist by donations, Thats right everyone donates their food, their counsel everything even their clothes. So during this pandemic, we were worried donations would slow, but people from the community who had chicken brought eggs, people who had cows brought meat, powdered milk etc. Well I heard the guys say they were hungry…that made me feel awful, my background i guess, nobody should go hungry. My boss said, I dont think they are hungry, I think they dont know how to cook. So I asked if us girls could put together recipes fast easy recipes that they can have in their bays and use. Well my girls took that a step farther, and guess what some of the groups that usually bake cookies and pies put the recipes on cards with words of encouragement. and ingredients for them to learn how to cook and donated. I see all the donations that come in and when they brought them they were so happy about their idea… lol… I didnt have to say, my idea.. I was so happy that a caring thought turned into something awesome. Thats all it takes…Loving people to help other people…do you know what they are going to keep doing this as long as they can and these Veterans are probably going to take these recipes home to their wives and children . I am so happy by this one thing there are too many to list. I see it everyday.
You are amazing! What a great idea and you are all incredible Helpers, thank-you for helping our
Vets!
Yes!! I see the helpers everywhere. Its the little things too. People seem more kind and I am seeing more eye contact out there. We are in this together.
Thank you for your comment karen.