Helping Each Other

Helping Each Other

In a world where some people believe they are the only ones who have an opinion or the only ones who count, we all should try harder to help each other—breaking the cycle of hate and show the world what agape love means.

When I look at a person, I don't see a skin color, a profession, or even hate you because of how you choose to live. Instead, I like to understand a person, know who they really are because when it comes to me, I judge my friends by the decisions they make in their lives. Would you go out of your way to help someone? I would, and I have many times. It is a person's actions that define them.

People are not generally good, bad, evil, or angelic; people create evil or a heavenly state with their decisions. Therefore, our choices in all things make us or break us. If there is a life-changing decision I must make, I generally think about it in depth before deciding. If you have a religious system as I do, then I will pray about my decisions. Unfortunately, I don't always, and this is usually when I get into trouble. Sometimes I get so stressed because most of the people I have met lately are the ones who only think of themselves or other like-minded people.

If you genuinely want to stand out in a world that has forgotten how to interpret the laws of our land, here are some tips toward helping one another regain some of that back.

When you have a neighbor in need, help! I have a neighbor who is a retired veteran. He was not home one day when the temperatures were expected to get up to a hundred. Someone brought him some food that was frozen. I knew he was not going to be back in time to put them in his refrigerator. I took them and left a note on his door as to where he could find his food. He came to my home and picked up his food, and we have been friends ever since. When you let people know you want to help, they will usually return the favor. I put a trash bag and an empty box just outside of my apartment. He saw it there and took it to the dumpster for me. I could not get to it when I was cooking dinner and needed to get the bags out of my apartment. My neighbor saw this and took it to the dumpster for me.

Another way you can help others is to volunteer at least once a month, any place that needs help. I have volunteered to the girl scouts, and I was a Girl Scouts leader for thirteen years. Once a month, we had meetings, and sometimes twice a month, we would have our regular meetings and then camping, or whatever badge we were working towards that month. Food pantries are always looking for people to help them out as where I live; food is a big issue for those who can't work or are retired.

Writing a positive review on a locally owned business will help promote that business and bring needed revenue into the area. The owner would appreciate it, and the people living there will benefit in ways they can only imagine.

Volunteer at retirement homes; sometimes, the elderly needs to know they are not forgotten. They have the experience that we all need and have exciting stories to tell about their lives and the lives of the ones they have lived around. You may be surprised about who some may have lived around! I knew of an older lady who said she use to live next to Carrie Fisher. I don't know if it was true, but I listened to her and agreed with everything she said because I was respectful.

Be the person who welcomes people into the neighborhood. People who are new to the community may be feeling a little unsure about where they have moved to. You don't have to go inside their homes if you feel unsafe about it but make them feel welcome when you see them out in their yard or when they are moving in. It can make the difference between having a neighbor who constantly complains about you or someone coming over to ask questions or borrow milk.

Empower the youth with knowledge. You may not believe it, but people out there don't know much about anything. Being a mentor to someone younger is a positive action. Helping them get into a college they want to get into or just playing basketball with another is a positive way to influence the young. I helped a lady out I met at the laundry mat. We got to talking, and I found out her washing machine was not working as well as it did when she first bought it. I made a few suggestions about her machine, and when she looked her model up online, she found she could fix the problem quickly and fast. She may have been an adult, but she was younger than I, so I helped her out a little, but it goes a long way! She might help someone else out with a similar problem or something different, but it will have a trickle effect because of my generosity in helping her out. I helped her so she may help someone else! Anytime I help someone, it makes me feel proud to have been able to help.

Donating yourself, time, and sometimes your finances will help improve the lives around you. When the lives around you are improved, it will have the trickle effect, and it will keep on going around. Not only will the peoples' lives be altered for the better but eventually the town or city in which you live will be a better place to live as everyone will be working together to help each other to be stronger individuals. Remember, don't only talk about the positive changes you want to see; become a part of the change!