Let Me Help You
One of my duties every fall is to put away the large pot of geraniums that sits by the entrance to our driveway. I cut the geranium way back to the roots and manhandle the big pot into the garage.
It has its own little place under the shop bench. It hibernates there until sometime in the spring when we determine the right time has come and it's ready for water and sunlight. By this time it usually has a little growth but it is very yellow and eventually gets cut off when the green new growth shows up.
Last week as we were getting into the car, Kathy noticed some geranium sprouts in the pot. For some reason I felt some compassion for the little sprouts. It did not seem right that they wanted to grow but would not be able to because it had no water or light. Water was easy but light would be more difficult. We have no windows in the garage and freezing temps are still possible so it can't go outside.
Actually it turned out to be easier than I thought to remedy the situation. I have a led light strip under the upper cabinets that I seldom use. In less than fifteen minutes I was able to move the light strip and situate it above the plants. In the week since the sprouts have turned much greener. I think that because of my very small amount of effort, our geranium plants will now have a head start when we roll them out of the garage into their place of prominence at the edge of the driveway.
You might think that the point of this story is to tout the difference a little creativity can make. Or maybe you could think that nothing is impossible if we set our minds on accomplishing something. There is some truth in both of these points but as I have said before my thoughts are not always what one would normally expect. So let me tell you what came to my mind as I ruminated on these ordinary events.
Making a difference in the lives of others is often paramount in my thinking. This story, it seems to me, has two aspects that can help me be more effective in helping others. One phrase I heard years ago in a class I was helping teach was "help that helps." It seems to me that often times people want help to make up for bad choices but are not really interested in making changes. Helping someone like that is not really helping in the long run.
I would not give water and light to a pot filled with dirt. I have to see something happening, or have faith that it will, because I know I planted a seed. Likewise, we are more inclined to help others who we know are really invested in changing and making right choices.
Another thought is that because we have busy lives, I want to help in ways that are not too difficult for me but make a huge difference in the lives of others. I heard about a famous person who tweeted about someone else's non profit organization and donations went through the roof. It wasn't hard for the famous person to do but the non profit was helped tremendously. It did not take me long to rig up a light for my plants but it was life and death to them.
Helping others is good but trying to be strategic and deliberate about what we are trying to do may help us to be more effective. Honestly, sometimes the best way to help is not to help. Just a thought.
Next week: At the start of each year many of us are determined to make changes. Come back next week for "I Mean It This Time!"
It has its own little place under the shop bench. It hibernates there until sometime in the spring when we determine the right time has come and it's ready for water and sunlight. By this time it usually has a little growth but it is very yellow and eventually gets cut off when the green new growth shows up.
Last week as we were getting into the car, Kathy noticed some geranium sprouts in the pot. For some reason I felt some compassion for the little sprouts. It did not seem right that they wanted to grow but would not be able to because it had no water or light. Water was easy but light would be more difficult. We have no windows in the garage and freezing temps are still possible so it can't go outside.
Actually it turned out to be easier than I thought to remedy the situation. I have a led light strip under the upper cabinets that I seldom use. In less than fifteen minutes I was able to move the light strip and situate it above the plants. In the week since the sprouts have turned much greener. I think that because of my very small amount of effort, our geranium plants will now have a head start when we roll them out of the garage into their place of prominence at the edge of the driveway.
You might think that the point of this story is to tout the difference a little creativity can make. Or maybe you could think that nothing is impossible if we set our minds on accomplishing something. There is some truth in both of these points but as I have said before my thoughts are not always what one would normally expect. So let me tell you what came to my mind as I ruminated on these ordinary events.
I would not give water and light to a pot filled with dirt. I have to see something happening, or have faith that it will, because I know I planted a seed. Likewise, we are more inclined to help others who we know are really invested in changing and making right choices.
Another thought is that because we have busy lives, I want to help in ways that are not too difficult for me but make a huge difference in the lives of others. I heard about a famous person who tweeted about someone else's non profit organization and donations went through the roof. It wasn't hard for the famous person to do but the non profit was helped tremendously. It did not take me long to rig up a light for my plants but it was life and death to them.
Helping others is good but trying to be strategic and deliberate about what we are trying to do may help us to be more effective. Honestly, sometimes the best way to help is not to help. Just a thought.
Next week: At the start of each year many of us are determined to make changes. Come back next week for "I Mean It This Time!"
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