Helping Others

I think you sound like you have your head and your heart in the right place. I'm sorry things are rough right now but nothing lasts forever. I've been down so low in my life that nothing scares me much anymore. I've seen it all and I'm still here. But what I think you gain from that is the strength to not second guess yourself. Does that make sense? If you don't have a lot to give, that's ok. The best thing you can do then is to take care of yourself. Then one day, you will probably see the results and be in a better position. Plus, it sounds like you're teaching your son to be a good person and that is a gift to the world. Keep this in mind...you can do whatever you want to do and when someone says "What if it doesn't work?" you should respond with "What if it does?" Very simple question. And there isn't a damn thing wrong with being a renter. Under different circumstances, I can easily see how renting would have advantages for me. There are certain benefits to renting.

 

I help others by shouting fashion and fitness advice out of my car window. :biggrin:

 

Aw, thanks for the kind, insightful words. I enjoyed reading them and they made a lot of sense. Yea.. during the course of my life I've had a bunch of ups and downs. I've never been TOTALLY done and out that I've had nothing or no one. But I have been homeless before (not for a while and I do mean homeless w a car... I was 18 and it lasted a year...) and I've also (within the past 2 years... spent just over a month in jail... for a probation violation...w a toddler @ home..)... and things have been bad (really bad) financially @ times before. Now I look @ things and I'm not even on probation, we are current on ALL of our bills (utilities and rent, etc.. there are some medical that probably WON'T get paid but that's whatever...oh and hahaha, student loans are in default, but I am ignoring that as the company won't accept less than 275$ a month....uh... yea.. can't do it, sorry.. so let me be in default. It kinda prevents me from getting ANOTHER student loan and makes the situation a tad bit sucky but I shall figure things out)...neways, the point of my semi-ramble is that, due to some of the situations I've been in, it is easy for me to look @ situations and say "well, it's not that!" "oh and it's not that other thing!"...and I experience a high level of gratitude for what I do have and how much I have accomplished, etc..


(addition... even on the note of the jail thing.. I can look back and be grateful that I live in a country where, even though the minimum security county jail I was in was on lock down 23 hours a day and doing illegal things (not letting you out for up to 52 hours for even a shower.. when you weren't even on disciplinary... just all of gen. pop... at least I wasn't in jail in some other country that may hold you indefinitely and do who knows what to you..let's just say, non humane conditions.
I do feel what goes around comes around. For me.. I got some good karma back on the very charge that I went to jail on a p.v. for.. just recently, someone w money, took something to the supreme court of PA and argued that the punishment many of us had received was arcane .. kinda.. cruel and unusual and they won. So, I just recently got off of probation 5 years early! (it was for a second dui... 8 years separating them.. dui was before my son was conceived and I haven't done it since then..neways..).. I felt with two jail sentences and four months house arrest and over ten grand in fines, a year drug n alcohol counseling, etc etc etc, that I did my time and it was terrible to keep someone on probation for another 5 years...and next thing I know...a judge agreed w me..and now they can only keep ppl on it for 6 months. I wasn't complaining about it but it's like my secret thoughts and prayers were answered. and my son has that money I used for supervision fees every month to... say, pay for his pre school soon.

Hahaha....well, really, lode, it just depends on whether you are helping on if ...well, are you shouting positive or negative pieces of advice? Like... nice lac of a shirt... love your toned shoulders!!!! Or... Get a shirt on until you lose a couple pounds off those shoulders!!??

 

Hey Lady! Avoiding hydrogenated oils is good for your cardiovascular health!

 

Hey baby! you should consider krill oil to supplement your omega 3's!

 

I myself have been a volunteer at the Asbury Park Homeless Shelter/ or the VA hospital for many years now. Having been on the receiving end for a short peroid of my life,,I feel like giving a little back is just the right thing to do- -Karma & all that-
I probably should be involved more often,,but setting up the tables and chairs,,and helping other volunteers serve the feast ,,even once a year gives ya a good feeling..- -Everyone have a safe & GratefulDay
jack

 

generosity and creativity are the twin foundations of merit. along with honesty of course, and pursuit of real and useful ability.

 

This is inspiring! More people should volunteer their professional services to help others. My mom was a dental hygienist, and a dentist in the inner city would open his office to patients w/o insurance and any means to pay. I spent time with her there while they volunteered some Saturdays. You would not believe how badly neglected some mouths can get if people can't afford the expensive cost for dental procedures. I've been lucky, as family members usually just visit my mom after work to have things done for free. Although some dentists are sticklers about it, they will charge employees, most don't.

 

When I lived in San Diego, we had a bunch of Marines over to our house for Christmas eve. Most of them couldn't go home for the holidays, and some didn't have anything to go home to. I've found often times people enter the service because they have nothing else in their lives, i.e.: family. About 8 men and women came, it was actually really fun too because they have a lot of really interesting stories. Also a great way to make new friends, they have a lot of respect and character that I admire

 

First having these things, and being able to appreciate them is a HUGE measure of success in my book. To me, these are the most important things in my life. Truly what I live for.