Tiny baby steps

Those baby steps are few and far between. I just think it's because I've been trying to work on me lately. It's a service for everyone around me! :)

I didn't make it to the ebola and social issues  presentation, unfortunately. I was extremely excited about it, but my sleeping patterns have been in non-stop flux.

It just seems like my problems keep piling up. Or, after I conquer one challange, a bigger one takes it's place. While this is the case (as prophesied), I know there are people going through more. I don't know how they go on, but they do. They're inspiring.

Anyway, people want to help when they know you're going through things. I wanted to make a point about that and it's certainly relevant. As someone who is constantly offered help in the form of the question: "Is there anything I can do for you?" I always feel incredibly weird. I want to scream "YES! PLEASE!" but I'm stopped because I don't know how they could possibly do so. My physical health can't really be helped, and my (lack of) mental health results from a variety of deep-seated issues, trauma, and insane thought processes over which I have no control.

I feel like that could be why most people "don't want help" - as a relative loves to say. I really don't think it's that no one wants help. Maybe they just don't understand how what you're offering to do can help. Maybe they're too embarrassed to accept it - especially in the case of charity. Maybe what you're offering really can't help. Maybe they don't want to be your charity case or a trophy for your piety display. Maybe they've tried taking help before and it just didn't work out. It's too simple to say that people don't want help.

I just hope we can all keep this in mind as we go about helping. Especially this season. Don't be upset if somsone declines your offer. Don't get disheartened by rejection. Rather, try to be understanding. If you need to help that exact person, do so privately and non-personally. Keep the giving train going and move right along. It's wonderfully contagious.