NOBODY REFUSES
Saturday Oct. 25, 2014
Some days, not many, I am reluctant to write.
Not because of too much in my head, or too little, but this feeling overwhelms:
‘why would that interest anyone other than me?’
Such thoughts silence us.
As if some parent or teacher plays an old-tape in our ear:
‘why would anyone care about that?’
or ‘who do you think you are?’
Words may have been different, but we’ve all heard those sentiments in childhood, through life.
Perhaps yesterday.
Long-overdue get together with MK yesterday. We share initials, issues and history. We’ve also had life-altering experiences and changes recently. Two guys, two sandwiches – validation.
What we say/what rolls in our head DOES matter, does resonate, does some good …
Helping someone out, or letting them help us.
Sounds easy, doesn’t it?
Seven words.
Easy to talk about, or write about, when that involves someone else.
Or when it describes us doing the helping, helping someone else.
But that open-armed, open-minded, welcoming of help, asking for help, admitting to needing, wanting and accepting help – that’s another matter, right?
No matter how successful, confident or secure we feel – these moments of weakness, moments of uncertainty, moments when our backbone and our confidence run for cover … we are not alone.
We are among a community of friends and strangers – each dealing with everyone of those, every day. Every week. Every Saturday morning.
Not constant, yet constantly present.
Imagine how you feel, or someone else feels, to have constant steadying forces called friend to count on, sometimes lean on, to ask for help – someone who gives freely when you need, whether you asked or not, whether you looked like you needed it or not.
Because we all need it.
All the time, every day in every way.
If someone asks you, ‘could you be there for me when I need a steadying force?’, what would you say?
Of course you would agree.
If you asked someone, anyone, that same question – what would they say?
Nobody refuses.
Mark Kolke
column written/ published from Calgary
morning walk: 1C / 33F, overcast, dark, calm … and dry/chilly, Gusta sluggish and my back hurts but other than that … a very pleasant walk, leaves crunching under every step a perfect pre-dawn autumn walk
Reader feedback / comments always welcome:
Great seeing you Mark and long overdue for a catch up. Agree with you whole-heartedly with the note on John Furlong and Craig Kielburger. Coincidence or not, their presentations were like a warm big hug, knowing that there is good, goals to strive for, and strength to be found in challenging times! Cheers, RA, Calgary, AB
