Along your pathway of life you will observe that you are not the only traveler. There are others who need your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save. -Thomas S. Monson
It’s amazing what we see around us when we take a look. It’s about changing how we approach life. Once you get started trying to really see others around you, you will be amazed to realize the world is much bigger than you or your family. There are people all around suffering. Most likely everyone has something difficult going on in their life.
“When you meet someone, treat them as if they were in serious trouble, and you will be right more than half the time.” -Henry B. Erying
I remember years ago, I left my home to run and grab some groceries to feed my hungry crew. It was after a hard day, when life felt overwhelming and heavy. As I left my driveway, I was crying a bit, and pouring my heart out to the Lord. I drove past a lady walking her dog; she was laughing at his silly desires to chase every creature they passed. I saw a man and a women holding hands talking and enjoying the brisk fall weather. As I pulled into the grocery parking lot I saw a mother and her little kids, all perfectly dressed racing to their car. Everyone looked so perfectly happy. However, slowly my tears cleared as I was blessed to know each of these perfectly content people who appeared to have no problems. The lady with her dog, was fighting cancer, the couple walking together were dealing with relocating their family, due to job change. The adorable family racing joyfully to the car, had been hit with non-stop health problems over the last two years. While it appeared to the unknowing eye that everyone else was happy and carefree, that day, the Lord allowed me to see it as it actually was–everyone is dealing with their own difficult situations. He also showed me that we can have joy and happiness even with our problems. The joy and happiness comes from looking around; it comes from forgetting ourselves and living; it comes from choosing to enjoy every day. It comes from helping others.
Ever after that day, I decided to look for ways to help others or to pick them up for a small moment. One thing my kids and I do, is we look for someone who appears to be having a difficult time, and we pay for their groceries. We have found that while standing in a line at the grocery store, you can get a sense of others feelings. My kids will nudge me, and give me the look. Then we whisper to the store clerk to keep ringing up the groceries, and we pay for ours and theirs. By the end they always figure it out; we simply smile and tell them to have a great day. We have had some fun reactions, which are great for the kids. One day an elderly man that looked like he could barely move, started jumping up and down with excitement. That filled my kids with joy.
The best part of developing the habit of focusing on looking out for others, is the opportunity we have had to help those in desperate situations. Situations we wouldn’t have noticed before. One day, one of my kids noticed the lady in front of us, juggling 3 little ones, all who were crying, had forgotten her wallet in the car. She looked exhausted, we knew exactly what to do.
“My Own Little World” by Mathew West is one of my favorite songs.
In my own little world it hardly ever rains
I’ve never gone hungry or always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket shoes on my feet
In my own little world
Population me
I try to stay awake ’til the Sunday morning church
I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give ’til it hurts
And I turn off the news when I don’t like what I see
Yeah it’s easy to do when it’s
Population me
What if there’s a bigger picture
What if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
Outside my own little world
Stopped at a red light, looked out my window
I saw a carboard sign, said ‘Help this homeless widow’
Just above this sign was the face of a human
I thought to myself, ‘God, what have I been doing?’
So I rolled down my window and I looked her in the eye
Oh how many times have I just passed her by
I gave her some money then I drove on through
In my own little world there’s
Population two
What if there’s a bigger picture
What if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
I could be living right now
I’m going to break my heart for what breaks Yours
Give me open hands and open doors
Put Your light in my eyes and let me see
That my own little world is not about me
What if there’s a bigger picture
What if I’m missing out
What if there’s a greater purpose
That I could be living right now
I don’t wanna miss what matters
I wanna be reaching out
Show me the greater purpose
So I can start living right now
Outside my own little world,
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