Last week, my wife had to opportunity to help an older couple at the grocery store. The woman appeared to be suffering from dementia and needed to use the restroom. The husband appeared overwhelmed and distraught. My wife offered to help the couple to the relief of the husband. After the couple went on their way, my wife wished she had follow up to see if she could be of any other help. Her father had passed from Parkinson’s and suffered with dementia in his final months. It was quite a heavy burden on my mother-in-law.
We had been talking the day before about a “two doors down” program our church back in Michigan had implemented. The idea was that there are people in our communities (e.g., “two doors down”) who have problems with which we can be of assistance but of which we are often unaware. My wife was wanting to bump into the couple to offer that, if they need help from time to time, maybe she could help. She also began to wonder who might be beginning to struggle with life issues that can use help, but maybe don’t even realize it yet.
For many people problems begin to develop, and they are not aware of how overwhelming they are becoming until, well, they are overwhelmed. The reason might be pride or shame, but more often it is just that the person is so busy dealing with the growing issue that they don’t know they need help—let alone have the awareness to ask for help.
As communities, we need to get back to a sense of awareness. We have countless opportunities to “be neighborly”—to be perceptive of the needs of others. Ideally, we are seeing ways to help before the neighbor feels compelled to ask. We must realize that most people may never ask for help.
We need to be aware. Aware is not “nosy”. Aware is just being present and conscious of another’s suffering. It is “Spiritual well-centeredness”—i.e., turning the focus away from self to the presence and needs of those around us.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!