People Helping People . . .

It turns out I wrongly recalled Barbra Streisand’s song “People Who Need People” as saying, “People Who Help People are the luckiest people in the world,” because that’s what I know is true.

We’ve all been helped by others to reach whatever stage in life we’re in now. The most-rewarding and healthiest response we can have is to turn around and pass that help and encouragement on.

For me home base is a small Central Minnesota farm. For the last three years I’ve been involved in our local library teaching Memoir Writing, presenting my Israel travels talk with slides, and now enlarging my monthly Memoir Writing class to all genres. It’s very rewarding. Some of our eighteen members have been published before. Some are polish their work and gaining confidence to submit for publication, and others are taking their first steps. Next month we are self-publishing a Writing Sampler of up to 1500 words displaying the stories that twelve of our writers have poured heart and soul into. It has required lots of work on my part too but means I’m more closely connected to these people and their lives. I could not be more proud of them. People helping people are the luckiest people in the world!

Here’s a photo of one of our classes. If you’re not already passing on your gifts and know-how to others in any area of life ranging from writing to teaching auto maintenancebu, dgeting, crocheting, photography, painting, remodeling, cooking, computer skills, childcare, ad infinitem, consider getting involved. It takes work, often at inconvenient times, but you’ll be amazed at the life dividends such involvement produces. I’m now personally connected to eighteen fascinating individuals I would not know if I otherwise passed them on the street or in the grocery store.

What about you? In some form, we’ve all received help getting to this stage in life. What would happen if we all passed on our knowledge, interest and encouragement to others? (Picture a, white snowball growing bigger and rounder as it rolls downhill.) Like the Alka-Seltzer ad says, “Try it, you’ll like it.” And we’ll each make a bit of the positive difference this world needs. If you have paid it forward or mentored or are about to, let me know. Have fun and of course you’re not doing it for the amazing dividends, but get ready!