Helping People; Not Always in Your Best Interest.
I used to believe in helping everyone I could. I enjoyed the feeling I got when I reversed a
stranger's bad day and turned it into something good. I've learned better since then. Don't get
me wrong; I still agree with and practice the concept, but I'm much more adept at it now that I
have gained experience. Even though I was the rescuer, it seemed like I always had to pay a
personal price for being kind to people. After suffering much heartache, embarrassing episodes,
and personal loss, I've learned that giving help to my fellow human beings can be a risky
endeavor if not approached correctly.
Long ago, when I was still green behind the ears, I enjoyed spending most of my
evenings out on the town. I was eighteen, naÃÂïve, and ready to take on the world. One particular
night, after spending my usual hour bathing and fixing myself up, I was eager to go bar hopping.
As was customary for me, I slipped behind the wheel, dressed to kill, and sped down a long, back
country road. Suddenly, rounding a sharp curve, I came upon an old, economy sized vehicle,
pulled off onto the grass. There were no shoulders on the side of the road this far out. A well
dressed, shapely woman stood nearby. She appeared dumbfounded and bewildered, staring at
her vehicle. I instantly felt sorry for her; stranded and helpless, miles from any service station. I
was confident that I could fix her problem, save the lady in distress, and spend my evening
feeling good about helping someone out. I also hoped that I might impress her. I pulled up in
front of her vehicle and hopped out, ready to assist, and conquer any challenge.
Helping People; Not always in your best interest
I have to say, your essay gave me a good laugh. It's sad to think that a couple of bad experiences has soured your idea of helping others though. I agree about 'sussing' out a situation first, but please, please, don't hesitate to help someone in need if you think the situation is a genuine one. All too often we here of people being raped, attacked and murdered, their screams for help to passer-by's being ignored but the people are reluctant to get involved. I know from experience, as a victim of a violent attack, that being ignored as you plead for help, has just as much affect on you as the attack itself. Keep your sense of humour about the situations like the one you mentioned - remember Karma - what goes around comes around. Someday you may need assistance too.
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