A Splendid Opportunity

Moving is a difficult task. Everything must be sorted into "keep" and "discard" piles. Boxes must be carefully packed and loaded into a moving truck while planning ahead for balancing the load and preventing shifts in transit. Then the boxes have to be unloaded and unpacked on the other end. We can choose to do this exhausting work alone, ask friends for help, or hire professionals. I've always had good luck organizing friends. The other two options leave me with multiple chiropractor appointments or far too many horror stories to share at dinner parties.

When a local merchant sent an email to customers asking for help moving to a new location, I saw it as the perfect opportunity for karmic payback. So I quickly passed the plea for help along to several of my friends and marched on down to the store. There were already six people working, in addition to the proprietor and an employee, when I arrived.

In assembly line fashion, boxes were put together, packed with merchandise, taped shut, labeled, and loaded into a truck. Friends chatted and made up numerous jokes while working. As one group of volunteers needed to leave, another group arrived. Some could stay only 30 minutes. Others worked for several hours. People with other obligations, or unable to do physical labor, brought snacks. There were single adults, couples, parents with older children, and even one complete family. Everyone had a good time and felt good about what they were doing. Best of all, it was not a tragedy or medical emergency that brought us together.

Of course none of us would have paid back our karmic debt, enjoyed time with friends and neighbors, or felt so good about the way we spent our weekend if that local merchant had not asked for help. Although asking for help may feel embarrassing, it also reveals a splendid opportunity.

Have you ever helped someone else and enjoyed it?
Do you see requests for help as opportunities?
How do you feel about asking others for help?
Are you willing to ask for help when you need it?

© 2007 David Bentley

David Bentley, M.Ed., is an avid observer of people, places and events. He uses his storytelling and questioning skills to help himself and others think outside the box in an ever-changing world.

Comments about his column can be sent to davidbentley@sanjuanislander.com.

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