**************************
For the past three or four years I mentored two little girls in the Inner City. I was with one little girl for two or three years and another little girl for one year. I do not do it anymore but I learned some things along the way. The first thing I learned is selflessness when you would rather do something else. When we had mentoring during the winter months or if it was day it was raining it was much harder for me to go then when the sun is shining and the temps are terrific. When it is really cold and rainy, I would much rather stay home in the evening reading a book and watching TV. It is much harder going out on a night when it is cold and dreary.
The second thing I learned was we are making a difference even when it feels we are not. Sometimes I felt especially with the girl I had for one year that I was not reaching her or that she thought positively about me as her Mentor. I will never forget when the little girl I had for two or three years painted a picture and wrote "I love Molly" on it more than once. I honestly didn't realize that or that I was making a difference in her life. I will never know how these two young ladies turn out. I know that whether or not I will see the results of my time with them that I made a difference in the time I did have with them. I really hope so!
I learned that we are not much different from the down and out. The kids in the mentoring program came from broken homes. Many were without fathers. It is easy judge families like theirs. I can honestly I did initially. The thing is we only a few bad decisions from being in their shoes. We have no room to judge when we come to realization we can easily be their shoes. We could lose our income and everything all too easily and then we learn how much like we all are. Tough times doesn't discriminate! It can hit anyone in the blink of the eye!
I learned how good it feels to get out of ourselves to help someone else. When I went to mentoring I knew it was not about me, it was about my child and helping her live up to her potential and support her. We live in a very self-absorbed society. I can personally attest to the fact the being self-absorb can lead to depression and anxiety. When we become self-absorb, we become insecure and we want to know what everyone thinks about us and if they think are fine. When we take our minds on ourselves and take time to help someone else, we find freedom! We realize in helping others that we feel less self-absorbed and thus less anxious and depressed.
Here are someways that we can help others. These are just a few! The list can go on much longer.
1) Volunteer
2) Send a card (NOT AN EMAIL OR TEXT) to someone you have not talked to for a long time.
3) If it is financially possible, sponsor a child. I have personally sponsored a child through Compassion ever since 2013 and it has been a very positive and rewarding experience.
4) If you see someone who seems lonely or sad, reach out to them and start a conversation.
5) Take a meal to someone who is sick or is going through a stressful time.
In closing, how did you feel when someone reached out to? How did you feel when you were able to talk to them without a fear or being judged. What did you learn from the wisdom of someone? Do you remember what they said? Do you still live by the wisdom they imparted on you? What would it be like if someone felt that way about you? What can you do to that will make someone feel they can talk to without being judged? What can you do to kindly use what you learned to give them wisdom? How would you feel if someone remembered you years from now just because you reached out to them with love and compassion? We may never see the impact we have- and maybe that is a good thing as a way to keep us humble. Just remember what you say, do, and thing matters everyday in much larger way then you imagine!
No comments:
Post a Comment