Helping

Life is not always easy and many times it is hard not to focus on that. I think if I take just one thing out of this life, it is that we are here to help others and ask help from others. Both are very simple acts that really can change a person's life. And there are so many different forms of giving; it is really wonderful.

Wednesday, I wasn't having the best day and was walking to the mall to buy some of my students presents for the exchanges I am participating in. A car pulled in front of me and they asked me for directions. My initial reaction was that it was somewhat comical since I don't have a car here and I'm probably not the most knowledgeable person of how to get to places in Guadalajara. But it turned out that I knew where they wanted to go and was able to help them. Even when we don't have all the resources, we can still help. The great thing was that the event got me to start thinking positive and that is always a good place to start when you are having a bad day.

Friday my boss was quite angry with me and brought me into her office to tell me. She chastised me and I was getting kind of angry because none of it was my fault. I wanted to release that angry immediately, but instead I patiently waited so that I could just communicate calmly to rectify the situation. Giving sometimes requires putting your own needs aside so you can focus on that person's needs.

Today I had the opportunity to enter a complete stranger's house because her husband had fallen and she did not have the strength to help him up. I just happened to be walking by and the woman asked me to help her. I feel so blessed to have been walking there at that time.

I guess what I've taken from these events is that moments of giving may come when you don't expect them, but there is almost always a way that you can help and why not look for them? Many times we don't even get credit for helping people but remember that is not the point. The main reason you are helping someone is so that they can move on with what the need to do.

And now for a bit of comical relief. I think I got this quote from a TED talk, but I can't remember...

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi stated that "Our nervous system is incapable of processing more than about 110 bits of information per second. And in order to hear me and understand what I am saying, you need to process about 60 bits per second. That's why you can't hear more than 2 people...you can't understand more than 2 people talking to you."

I teacher middle and high schoolers and a lot of them don't understand the concept of not interrupting. Maybe I put part of this quote on a test and give them a simple math problem hahah.