The Joy of Helping Others

Recently I was asked to talk to a young college student about her goals for becoming a writer. To myself, I thought, what can I tell her that her professors have not? But I acquiesced and soon found myself speaking via FaceTime with this bright and talented young lady. Throughout our conversation I continued mentally to remind myself to stay positive and to be honest about being an author in all that it entails, which is a tough thing to do honestly. You see, it’s very hard to be a paid writer and even harder to become an author. But what I found in our conversation was, that I did have many positive suggestions to help guide this woman on reaching her goals as a writer. When I hung up with her, I felt great that I was able to share with her so much information. I must say, it felt good to help someone else!

Several weeks ago while out selling my books, I came across a grandmother who was buying my book for her special needs grandchild. She stated that she really didn’t know if he could sit still long enough for the whole book but he would love the illustrations. I smiled and asked if I could give a few suggestions on how to best read with a child with special needs, since I was a special education teacher. She was surprised and excited.

“Is there a different way to read to him, she asked?”

Of course there is, and quite frankly, there are many different ways to read with children of all ages and needs. So I stepped to the side of my booth and quietly went over a few suggestions and modeled the techniques with her. If it hadn’t been for Covid, I’m certain she would have given me a hug, she was just so appreciative. It felt good to help her and I wish I could have showed her more but at least she had a good start.

I have been known for helping people without really thinking about it, and I’m thankful that my parents instilled this gift in me. I’m not anything special, and these are only a few examples of ways that I helped others recently… but the fact is, helping others truly brings one joy. And I highly encourage you to find that special something in yourself that you can share with others, for I can guarantee you that someone will benefit from your help. You don’t have to go out of  your way to lend a hand or share some of your knowledge, just take the time to do it. You’ll be thankful you did!