Someone asked me tonight, "Why do you have to go to Mississippi?" "Why do you take care of people who are not your responsibility?"
I sat and thought for a long time what my answer would be. How would I answer these questions in such a way that they made sense. I had to really ask myself... why do I do what I do?
All my life it seems I have been taking care of people and things. I think it was instilled in me from a very early age. My mother was a nurse, so I watched her take care of people. I watched her take care of her mother. I watched my aunt take care of children who weren't hers long before she had one of her own. My aunt mowed the yard of an elderly lady for years. I watched these two women take care of things, people, and each other. Often times there was never any money involved. It seemed they did it because they wanted to.
I have seen both these women cry because the people who should have been caring for the ones they were caring for said mean things to them or showed them disrespect. But they never stopped caring for the ones who needed them.
You can say I learned by example. When I was little, all I ever wanted to be was a mom. Nothing else. It's what I do. It's all I know how to do. I take care of people. I mother people. Everyone I have ever worked for or with will tell you the same thing. I even help the elderly in stores and sometimes have long conversations with them. I often think what if I'm the only person who talked to them that day.
I don't do it for a pat on the back. I don't do it for money. I don't do it for the recognition. I don't do it expecting anything in return. I do it because something inside tells me to do it. I guess that is why I actually like cleaning houses for people. Yeah the money is good, but deep inside I know I am helping someone out. I'm taking care of something for them.
I have often wondered if this was my purpose in life. Is this the talent God gave me? I don't really know, but just in case it is, I hope I make Him proud. Because this is who I am and a small part of what makes me ... me.
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1 comment:
You stepped up when I needed you and I am grateful. How is it that someone I barely know could recognize my sinking ship and hand me the oar I needed in that moment to move my little broken boat to a new shore?
Like you, I too care deeply for others... even those that I don't know.
I find that I struggle often times when I hear people offer their time but when it comes to being there to delivering on that promise, most vanish into the abyss of their own busy lives.
Selfishly, I give of myself because it feels good to make this journey we call life a little easier on those around me.
I mean no disrespect to the friend that asked you why you help others, but it just goes to show that you are a rarity... and I look forward to getting to know you better.
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