It is so easy to help another person in a small but meaningful way. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Let someone merge in traffic. Use the damp paper towel I just used to dry my hands to mop up a few puddles around the sink in the public bathroom.
Just writing this post reminded me to send a short supportive text to a friend with a terminally ill spouse. Nothing fancy, just a check-in with love. And it makes me feel good!
I read your Substack the other day right after I had gone to our local bookstore which is closing. Not giving it a second thought, I had taken photos of every book in which I knew the author and posted and shared them. I was simply having fun with it but every author was so excited and touched that I took a moment to do that. Knowing it was meaningful gave me a complete "high" per se. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture, just a thoughtful one. I also enjoyed reading about your corporate career because I too did something I was really good at for 18 years but didn't wake up jumping out of bed wanting to do it like I do now. My next personal challenge is figuring out what more I'm supposed to be doing to help others while using my voice and building off of what I already do and know. Thank you for the inspiration, Shannon!
When I was around 20 years old, a video went viral of a man walking around a major city, holding a “Free Hugs” sign. It was incredibly moving to watch him walk the streets, sometimes up to people, who would read the sign, contemplate touching this stranger, and decide that they needed the embrace. Both parties walked away with peace and smiles on their faces.
We decided to implement a “Free Hugs” Facebook group and planned days to do it on our local college campus (and maybe a few late nights out, as well). The response was incredible. And showed us how many people just needed a warm hug. We didn’t provide supplies, or food, or money. But we did provide a moment of safe physical touch that so many are yearning for.
Seeing “free hugs” reels online always gets to me. So simple and human and incredibly needed. I’m a great hugger, and I love the thought of doing this. Maybe next time I volunteer, I’ll add this in. Thank you for sharing and inspiring. 🙏🏼🥰
I too was successful in the corporate world, but what was meaningful to me was developing young leaders to see their potential and to grow their careers. This gave me a sense of purpose beyond being the provider for my family. In retirement after a devastating cancer diagnosis and surgery, I saw a gap in the support group community. Creating and leading this group has filled me up and given me a sense of purpose in retirement that I never could have imagined. Because it uses my corporate skills but is way outside my comfort zone, it shows me I am still capable and worthy although retired. It’s given me a completely new community that I belong to of people I care for deeply even though most of us have only met on zoom. It has reinforced that I can be whoever I want to be in the various areas of my life.
I have been a youth leader for several years. It was amazing to support young people as they experienced doing community outreach. It made us all grow and have compassion for our local and our of state homeless people.
Currently I am the coordinator for assembling hygiene kits at church. Our congregation take the Kits with them and hand them out to our homeless friends. I have had some great interactions with our homeless community.
It is so easy to help another person in a small but meaningful way. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Let someone merge in traffic. Use the damp paper towel I just used to dry my hands to mop up a few puddles around the sink in the public bathroom.
Just writing this post reminded me to send a short supportive text to a friend with a terminally ill spouse. Nothing fancy, just a check-in with love. And it makes me feel good!
These are all such great reminders, Kate.
I really do enjoy wiping up around public sinks for some reason. It’s the simple things. ☺️
To wipe up around a sink seems to come naturally. Just be aware of your hands making contact with germs left from other washed hands.
I read your Substack the other day right after I had gone to our local bookstore which is closing. Not giving it a second thought, I had taken photos of every book in which I knew the author and posted and shared them. I was simply having fun with it but every author was so excited and touched that I took a moment to do that. Knowing it was meaningful gave me a complete "high" per se. It doesn't have to be a grand gesture, just a thoughtful one. I also enjoyed reading about your corporate career because I too did something I was really good at for 18 years but didn't wake up jumping out of bed wanting to do it like I do now. My next personal challenge is figuring out what more I'm supposed to be doing to help others while using my voice and building off of what I already do and know. Thank you for the inspiration, Shannon!
It's sometimes the things we think are smallest that mean the most to someone else. This is great!
When I was around 20 years old, a video went viral of a man walking around a major city, holding a “Free Hugs” sign. It was incredibly moving to watch him walk the streets, sometimes up to people, who would read the sign, contemplate touching this stranger, and decide that they needed the embrace. Both parties walked away with peace and smiles on their faces.
We decided to implement a “Free Hugs” Facebook group and planned days to do it on our local college campus (and maybe a few late nights out, as well). The response was incredible. And showed us how many people just needed a warm hug. We didn’t provide supplies, or food, or money. But we did provide a moment of safe physical touch that so many are yearning for.
Seeing “free hugs” reels online always gets to me. So simple and human and incredibly needed. I’m a great hugger, and I love the thought of doing this. Maybe next time I volunteer, I’ll add this in. Thank you for sharing and inspiring. 🙏🏼🥰
Love that idea! 🫶🏽
Wow, this is so great!
I too was successful in the corporate world, but what was meaningful to me was developing young leaders to see their potential and to grow their careers. This gave me a sense of purpose beyond being the provider for my family. In retirement after a devastating cancer diagnosis and surgery, I saw a gap in the support group community. Creating and leading this group has filled me up and given me a sense of purpose in retirement that I never could have imagined. Because it uses my corporate skills but is way outside my comfort zone, it shows me I am still capable and worthy although retired. It’s given me a completely new community that I belong to of people I care for deeply even though most of us have only met on zoom. It has reinforced that I can be whoever I want to be in the various areas of my life.
I love this, Sandy!
I have been a youth leader for several years. It was amazing to support young people as they experienced doing community outreach. It made us all grow and have compassion for our local and our of state homeless people.
Currently I am the coordinator for assembling hygiene kits at church. Our congregation take the Kits with them and hand them out to our homeless friends. I have had some great interactions with our homeless community.
I'm thrilled that you're surfacing this critically important aspect of humanity.
To be useful qualifies as a basic human need. Helping others satisfies that need.
However, we must be sure our intended helpfulness actually does meet their need.