Feeling good

Egon · Oct 1, 2003

The Halifax area suffered considerable storm damage inculding extended power outages from a storm that passed thru last Sunday.

Yesterday we phoned a relative to find they had no power, no water and a deep freeze that was slowly warming up.

It felt real good to be able to loan them our generator to tide them over till power returns.

Egon

Golfgar4 · Oct 1, 2003

Egon,

It usually takes the better part of our lives to learn how much more rewarding it is to give and help those who are less fortunate than we. Especially when it's someone close.

The satisfaction that you've gained will stay with you much longer than your relatives need for the generator! /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

wroughtn_harv · Oct 1, 2003

Kindegarten lesson, better to give than to recieve. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Many years ago some friends were going through a real rough time. I wasn't. So arranged for their car to get new tires, badly needed.

The wife came to me quite perturbed. She let me know I'd already done too much.

I asked her two questions.

1. "Don't you feel good when you do something nice for someone you care about?"

2. "Isn't it awfu selfish of you do deny me that feeling?"

One of the ironies of life is I'm a much better giver than receiver. More than once I've had to ask myself those same two questions. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Under certain circumstances it's not only better to give than receive, it's easier. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

frank_f15 · Oct 1, 2003

strange this post came up, was thinking about a family project we did many years ago. the 3 kids were quite young about 7, 10, and 12. things where going good for us and the hollidays were approching. we always were able to have nice christmases and wanted the children to learn how good it felt to give instead of receive. so we went to our church and asked the priest if h e could give us a list of needy familes, not their name but the age of the kids and their needs and we as a family would take care of all their needs for the holiday season. so we picked a family that had kids about the same age as mine and i let them shop for their counterparts, toys, clothes , food and let the chuch deliver it to them. the only thing we got was a note form the mother and dad and a few pictures of a family we never knew. my kids now 30,33,and 35 still remeber that. ALWAYS FEELS BETTER TO GIVE THAN RECEIVE. the kids had a blast selecting just the right things then, purchasing them and then wrapping them.the most rewarding thing for me and my wife was on christmas moring our children were more interested in wondering how the childern they bought for were enjoying their gifts, than in what they received, .AIN'T LIFE GRAND /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Richard · Oct 1, 2003

Years ago, I worked part time at a retail store. I had recently asked a co-worker out on a date, we went shopping.

She was recently divorced, working part time, minimum wage. We'd just received our "commission" check, this was during Christmas holidays. She was just temporary Christmas help for us... here for 4 weeks & gone.

Well, on this 'date', we went to "everyting's a Dollar" store, or it's equivilant.. she took her ENTIRE bonus check and bought bags & bags of brand new toys... loaded them up in her car (old car... point being... she needed the money as much as anyone) and we took the toys directly to Goodwill for them to pass out to local area children.

There was no thought of "herself" in her action... she was just that genuine of a giving person and I always respected her for that.

Yes, we decided to keep her on a permant basis at the store and she worked there for several more years.

Oh yeah... then I married her.

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

frank_f15 · Oct 2, 2003

( Oh yeah... then I married her.
)
very very smart move /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Gary_in_Indiana · Oct 2, 2003

One of my favorite 'feel good' things is something that started quite by accident when my children were very young. It was afternoon on December 24th and I was out at Children's Palace toy store to pick up some last minute things for my son and daughter. After I found a spot to park (no small task) I saw a man up by the building trying to load his car. He was driving an older four door and still wearing a work uniform. I didn't know how long he's been there or how many people had walked past him on their hurried way.

As I neared the problem became obvious. He was trying to load a bicycle into the back of his car first working from one side and then the other. Every time he went to the one side to push the wheel and handlebars would turn and catch. When he went to the other side to straighten that and pull it through a pedal would catch on the driveline hump.

When I got to his car he was at the rear wheel of the bike and I just offered to grab the other end and lift it in with him. The look on his face was something I'll never forget. It was so special to me that I started making a little personal tradition out of it.

Every December 24 for over twenty years now I've gone to the busiest shopping mall in the area with absolutely nothing to do for myself. I just look around for people loaded down with packages and offer to help them. I've watched that same look appear on the faces of people I've approached to help for years now and I never tire of it. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Boondox · Oct 3, 2003

One of my personal favorite helping moments happened several years ago in the dead of night. My wife and I were returning home from a party at about two in the morning. In the middle of a blizzard, no less, in late winter when the ground under all that snow was slick with ice. We live at the end of a very steep and narrow dirt road, and our nearest year round neighbor is about a mile away on the far side of a hill. So the road was pitch black. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

As I pulled up, I could see faint lights at the very end of the road where the town plow stacks snow. We drove closer and found the rear end of a rental car sticking out of the bank. After sharing the usual Vermont greeting under such conditions, "You can't park there!", we attached a tow chain and pulled the car to freedom.

Inside was a middle aged German couple who showered us with hugs and exclamations of "You must be angels!" They had been stuck there for nearly five hours, and were running out of gas to keep the heater running.

The funniest part was they came back the next day with a big bottle of champagne for us...and got stuck again! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Pete

LWFrisk · Oct 3, 2003

It is guys like the group that has posted here that makes me proud to be a member and to keep coming back to TBN. I live in Southern California and folks here are not quite the same as those to the east of us. Sure, some of these things occur here, but when you really look around at those who enjoy helping others, by far, the majority are not "Natives of California". Those who look forward to helping are usually transplants from Gods country back east.. I love the weather and opportunities here, but sure miss the "real people".

Transplant from Iowa

LWFrisk (now in Sunny California)

frank_f15 · Oct 3, 2003

( Every December 24 for over twenty years now I've gone to the busiest shopping mall in the area with absolutely nothing to do for myself. I just look around for people loaded down with packages and offer to help them. I've watched that same look appear on the faces of people I've approached to help for years now and I never tire of it. )

NOW THAT S WHAT I CALL A CHRISTMAS TRADITION. no wonder why i like some many folks that i have never met /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif