Help!  Pay It Forward

Several years ago I was traveling by car, on my own, from Los Angeles to Florida; In the middle of nowhere Texas - really, I was a lot of miles from anywhere, my car broke down. I did not know it then but my alternator had died and I just cruised to the side of the road in the middle of the desert. Texas is a pretty friendly state and a couple of people stopped to try and help but to no avail. Then a trucker had gone by me a couple of hundred yards and managed to back up his semi so that he could help me. And he did manage to get my car started.  I thanked him profusely and we were on our way.

I shut my lights off so it would not die again and got things repaired and replaced at the next town.

This next chapter brings me to the point of my story. I was cruising along the next and beautiful sunny day and lo and behold what do I see in the middle of the afternoon but a elderly woman on the side of the road with a flat tire. I had been so grateful to the trucker that helped me and he would not take anything from me so here was my opportunity to 'repay'. I pulled over. She could hardly believe it as dozens of cars were passing and no one had stopped.  I was more than happy to help her change the tire. I'm quite sure she would not have managed the change on her own. I was almost done and a state trooper stopped and offered to take over.  No way!  He was nice but I wanted to finish what I had started. He helped us from getting run over.The lady that I helped was extremely grateful and offered to pay me.  I refused and told her that I had a better way to exchange.I asked her to find someone to help in the next week or two and kind of pass it on; like that really depressing movie: "Pay it Forward".  She was thrilled with the idea and said, 'I will, I will, I promise. She beamed at the idea and I am very sure that she did.  I am very certain the the most wonderful sensation in the world results from helping others.  Not getting something for it but just helping.  If you are not sure that you believe me, please go out and help someone.  I don't care if it is something like mowing someone's lawn that is away on vacation or anything that is some help in any degree.  And if the person offers to give something in return tell them what you ask of them is to help someone else with something.

Next time you are feeling down, depressed or whatever, look a way to help others and do so and if you don't feel better then do it again and keep doing it until you do feel better.  You will - I guarantee it.  And, seriously, don't accept payment other than that person helping someone else.  Best sensation in the world by far!!

Oh, BTW, you don't have to wait until you are depressed to or down to help.  And it is OK to be greedy about it. You can help all the people and groups that you want. 

That's pretty much the purpose of life: To help.