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.’
Fred Rogers
Our daughter-in-law works for the NHS in London. She’s on the front line in the effort to fight Covid-19. Our daughter is working in ICU in the front line of Covid-19 treatment here in Perth. I’m so proud of both of them as they sacrifice themselves in service to the health system during this world pandemic.
Anyone working in health, food services, retail, teachers, police, fire services, and anyone in public service should be appreciated even more so at this time. These are the helpers.
This is the first time a lot of us have had to deal with scarcity and we’ve seen scenes of people fighting over toilet paper. These are unprecedented times in our country, but we need to remember we’re all in this together.
Despite the fear and uncertainty we are currently facing, a good side of humanity has emerged. People want to help and the good thing is we can all contribute.
I’ve been encouraged every day by stories of people helping others.
People run food drives, artists give free online concerts, children draw and put displays up to encourage people in their street, parents drive by their children’s friend’s houses so their children can wave happy birthday to their friends–so many people are contributing to the collective helping response and overcoming the scarcity mentality in all sorts of creative ways.
Perhaps we should be asking, ourselves: Who can I teach? Who can I connect with? Who can I encourage? How can I be a helper?
Whether it’s inside our own home homeschooling our children, helping a neighbour with shopping, calling an isolated person, or volunteering in an organization, we get the benefit of being a part of a community and knowing we are contributing when we help someone.
The act of giving or helping helps us to feel part of the collective effort. Every one of us has a phone and every one of us can connect with the entire world. Even if we can’t do anything else, we can phone someone to check on them or encourage them.
Every one of us has the potential to help.
Let’s be the helpers.