If I were drowning, wouldn't you throw me a life-preserver?I really believe you would. I even believe you would even if you didn't know me. I also believe you would even if you didn't like me.
So then I'm pondering: Why then do we not reach out & support someone who just made a bad decision and has maybe stumped their toe and hosed up their life (and most likely others in doing so) and toss them a life-preserver?
We always here the gossip. And, we're all guilty of spreading that gossip (I've been actively, focused working on not doing this). We are all concerned for the person, but how many of us actively reach out to the person with an encouraging word and share that "we're there for them"?
This really hit me with problems a couple of people I know, and call friends, have recently gone through.
One friend left a party, where they had a few drinks, it's late at night, and through some additional bad decisions got into a wreck and then arrested. It was "the talk" (i.e., gossip) of the town when it happened. But something happened in all of it. One of my friends told me a few days later, "You know, I called ol' ____ and let'em know that I was there for them if there was anything I could do." My friend told me the person couldn't believe the call and the offer, that they were so happy and even relieved that someone really cared and showed concern. My friend tossed the person A LIFE PRESERVER! My guess (and I hope I'm wrong) is this was the only call like this the person received.
I currently have another friend going through some rough times because of some bad decisions. The families affected are besides themselves and I know people are reaching out to them. But is anyone tossing the person that caused all the pain a life preserver?
But let me add here that I also realize that just because someone is tossed a life-preserver, they might not take it. They might believe they're a good swimmer and try to make it on their own. Even so, they still need the ability to reject the offer that's next to them in the water with them, not still in the hand.
I think I'm a good person. But when I take the good person test (Have I ever told a lie? Have I ever taken anything that didn't belong to me, regardless of how small or seemingly worthless? etc.), I always fail. And because I'm human, I'll make bad decisions through-out my life. I really hope that there are people in my life that will throw me a life-preserver when I do.
My question: Does it take a major mind-set change for us to help out the person that gets caught up in bad decisions...to toss them a life-preserver?
[Note: photo from http://www.senseoncents.com/]
“Your Success Is My Business.”™
pondering - "to think about : reflect on"
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