Care of Others

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” -Leo F. Buscaglia

I give you a simple thought on this Friday. The care you give someone in even the smallest way can change their life. And when you do, chances are pretty good that it will change your life as well.

Stay inspired my friends.

Calling for Help

"Responsibility's like a string we can only see the middle of. Both ends are out of sight.." -William McFee

It was March 13, 1964 on a New York street when Kitty Genovese was slowly and brutally stabbed to death. There were by police accounts at least a dozen people in the neighborhood that heard her screams. Over the course of a 90-minute period, her attacker was frightened away at one point, only to return and finally kill her.

Yet not once during that period did any neighbor assist her, or even telephone the police. Later reports from witnesses indicated they thought it was merely a lovers' quarrel. In many respects the responsibility we have for ourselves and for the needs of others can fall short. In this case, Kitty perished and we provide excuses for doing nothing.

Does this story illustrate that we should take the law into our own hands?

No, but what the story does illustrate is that we as individuals need to do "something" when we see, hear or witness a wrong being done. The problem is that too many of us are wrapped up in our smartphone ear plugs, watching the latest video of a cat doing something silly.

In the above incident, it prompted two psychologists, Darly and Latane, to study the conditions under which people may or may not offer assistance to others in an emergency. They staged an experiment around a woman in distress. They found that 70 percent of the people who were alone at the time called out or went to help the woman after they believed she had fallen and was hurt. Interestingly though, when there were other people in the room only 40 percent offered help.

When others are around, apparently it is not my problem.

Too many times we fail to take responsibility for what is happening around us. And I do not mean to say that we have to solve all of the ills that exist in every corner of the world. But we should be responsible humans, watching out for each other and not just ourselves. Life is not a series of personal song playlists and funny cat videos.

Life is an interaction of humans, taking care of each other. We are responsible for our own actions of course, but we are also responsible people. That means all of us have a responsibility to serve, protect and nurture those around us.

But why you might ask?

Only because it might be you calling for help one day.

Stay inspired my friends.

Power of Touch

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
-Leo F. Buscaglia

I believe the quote makes it very clear in a simple to understand way. The care of someone in even the smallest way can change their life. In doing so, the chances are great that it will change your life as well.

Stay inspired my friends.

Tending Your Field

“The fields are black and ploughed, and they lie like a great fan before us, with their furrows gathered in some hand beyond the sky, spreading forth from that hand, opening wide apart as they come toward us, like black pleats that sparkle with thin, green spangles.” ― Ayn Rand

The world around you, regardless of where you are, is your field of influence. It is a field that includes the hearts and minds of other people who enter in and pass through it. Your sphere of influence is generally any one that you encounter through out your life. It is a field that you have an impact upon by your actions and words.

As a farmer plants seeds and tends to the field, you have responsibility for the seeds you plant in the hearts and minds of others. You can tend to them over time and watch people grow and move to greatness. Or you can ignore them and watch them wither. These interactions go on everyday both to you and by you.

You may be 'planting' seeds within the fields of your influence, but others are doing the same as you enter theirs. When two mindful farmers enter each others environment, a wonderful thing happens to both people. The metaphor for tending a field of influence can be difficult to follow in its concept, but the more you think about it, clarity will come to your understanding of what I am writing.

The basic premise for me when it comes to 'farming' your field of influence is this; do not leave people where you find them. Help them, nurture them and bring them to a higher place. Leave them with hope and understanding that life has much to offer them.

The 'harvest' of a well tended field will yield much to you. Your life will be enriched for the experience and be more bountiful in its rewards. In all that you do, leave that which you enter better then when you found it. Leave the heart and mind of others in a better place.

Stay inspired my friends.

Care

"We are afraid to care too much, for fear that the other person does not care at all." -Eleanor Roosevelt

I am limiting my writing this week in order to spend my time taking care of someone special. My wife had surgery last Friday and is now at home recuperating. Since I place her well being very high on my list of priorities, I have taken the week off to care for her.

The word 'care' is defined by Merriam-Webster as a person or thing that is an object of attention, anxiety, or solicitude. It is to direct ones attention or concern towards.

Which really means to disregard thoughts of self and direct them towards another. It is a moment or period of time in which we stop worrying about just ourself. It is a moment or period of time in which we start living outside of ourself.

As humans, we can become very 'self-absorbed' in our own life. So much that we fail to see our connection with others. The bonding of our lives with others that only comes from caring.

There are those that would argue that, "I give money to charity" or "We sponsor a local kids soccer program" is enough. Those things are well and good, but where is the caring connection? Where is the personal touch of your life within theirs?

Our lives become great and fulfilled when we interact with others. The connection of caring for others becomes greater then self. When all of this happens, we raise the level of our own lives; we raise the self.

When you take time to go outside of 'you', amazingly that caring will come back around to 'you'.

Comfort Of Others

“This is my wish for you: Comfort on difficult days, smiles when sadness intrudes, rainbows to follow the clouds, laughter to kiss your lips, sunsets to warm your heart, hugs when spirits sag, beauty for your eyes to see, friendships to brighten your being, faith so that you can believe, confidence for when you doubt, courage to know yourself, patience to accept the truth, Love to complete your life.” -Unknown Author

When life throws us a challenge, there are never enough of the right words one can say. Whether it be the loss of a job, a troubled child, or news of a health crisis; the ability to simply care for each other is our greatest strength as human beings.

Life will cause changes in your life and give you challenges to overcome. The one thing we can do though is to comfort and care for those in need. So my wish for you is just what is quoted above.