A very apt message to remind me how we should be behaving rather than always looking out for yourself and striving for more and more. I feel that I do try and help where I am able but I often see opportunities or moments where that small voice inside says I could help in some way and I continue on my way dismissing it with excuses like, "I am on my way somewhere", "I am too busy at the moment", "I am sure someone else will step up and do the same thing", "I ...
"Don't miss an opportunity." That message is crystal clear how we should react when that inner voice speaks to us. You never know what impact it will have.
Here's a story my Mom told me last night:
Firstly let me start out by saying my Mom is not well off financially, so whatever she has is quite important to her. The story starts with her garden which is fairly large, too large for one man to handle let alone a woman with as much grey hair as my Mom has. The garden grows as it pleases and looks more jungle-like than garden. There is even a very large mulberry tree growing into her verandah in Day-of the-Triffids fashion! At times a young man, Romeo, comes in and helps clear weeds and trims the grass panga-style to find the wash line area. Now Romeo is one of the thousands who is homeless and lives in a shack which is constantly raided by delinquents in his area. For his work, my Mom gives him some money, some food and if she can, some clothing every time he comes to help her out. My Mom's house has also been burgled on occasion, with the crooks targeting scrap metal for resale. Now Romeo found these guy, recovered some pots they had stolen and gave them some 'advice' not to return. My Mom was so overwhelmed she felt giving him a clock-radio was just something she could afford to repay him. He literally danced in the street when she gave it to him.
Now Mom and Romeo have been talking about the little stand he has set-up to sell some oranges to commuters on their way to work. She has advised him how to save money and is taking him to a bank to arrange his first bank account. She has also told him about the man who owns the Spar at the four-way stop, started off selling fruit and vegetables out of the back of a van at the same four-way stop.
Yesterday, Romeo told my Mom that he has a target to save towards at the end of this year and he would like to give her some petrol money for her help. He has also spoken to the 'Spaza-man' and he is going to let him put a container at the four-way stop to sell some fruit. Romeo says wants to meet all my Mom's children because he is now also part of the family and wants to meet his brothers and sisters.
Here is a man who was merely surviving from one day to the next, who now has a vision for his future and is feeling so confident about life that he wants to meet his new family. Many would see my Mom and dismiss her as a crazy old lady. Her actions did cost her out of her little, they were sacrifices but it has brought about an incredible life-change in this man.
Imagine if there were more 'crazy old ladies' in this world... DON'T MISS AN OPPORTUNITY!
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