Helping

Helping Others, are you a "Good Samaritin"?, an enabler, a Patron,or ??

I've been helping others for over 5 decades,I'd say, for a number of reasons,some gracious, some not, but have learned that the cynical adage,

" No Good deed Goes Unpunished" is on occassion ,a Truism.

I often find my self helping out,with no forethought,which i,I guess is a good thing, but then ,there I am ,Obligated, or am I, and the Helpee,are they also,Obligated to ?Pass it On!/,? , or Reciprocate? It is Complex, and often as not, to have expectation of any kind,is unrealistic.

Often , Not Helping, would'v ebeen the correct choice, as it turned ,out,the person needed a Life Lesson, an opportunity ,of which I essentially stole from them. I have done this many times for and to my children and possibly others. Again,It is Complex.

In the parable of the Good Samaritin, Christ,never rebukes the Thieves.

Thieves,do,what Thieves Do.However,he was pissed at those who had Agency,yet walked on by,or did little more than a pittance to help the
guy who'd ben beaten and robbed. Christ's ,premise,is ,if you've Agency,
you are Obligated to help,and not just a "Token"amount, but almost more than you could bear.

It is a tough Row to Hoe, to help others bear thier Crosses,when you can bearly bear your own. I wonder ,thugh,if it should be that way.

True Pilanthropists,have made millions, from others,are organized, yet
they help millions more,once they are successful. If they'd ?squandered"their emotinal energy,money,time, helping others,one,by one,
would Philanthroposts such as BIll and Melinda Gates be able to help the millions they are now helping? I do not know.

It seems, one must reserve something ,not be a Martyr,to be successful at being a "Helper" a lesson I hope I have learned Not too late.

Bill Swann D.O.

Below is an article about this from another less cynical point of view.


helping OTHERS



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To help others is to help ourselves. We should try to purify our mind at all times, give our love and kindness unconditionally, and not expect anything in return. This is the best way.


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We work and contribute only because there is a need at that moment. When there is a need for us to do, we do it. After we have done it, that's all. There are no other purposes to it. Of course, we should help those who need help. When others need help, we just help. Helping is like not helping at all. In the Diamond Sutra it is written: Give without giving is the true giving. When we help others, it is like eating food or washing our hands. We don't feel especially proud for washing our hands. That state of mind is just like that. Whatever we do, we do it as if for ourselves. It is very natural. If we don't practice spiritually, no matter how much goodwill we have, we still can not do it well.


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The more we work, the more we try to help other people, the more we grow.


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And whatever job we do we have to do it wholeheartedly. Moreover we still have to help our fellow beings in whatever way we can, make them happy, make them feel loved.


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When you are working not for reward but only from love, then everything will go very smoothly.


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We have to help also with social work. Whatever we can do to help lessen the suffering, that is the most noble work, which will not only be recognized in this world, but also praised by heaven.


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When a depressed person with a deep inferiority complex comes to seek our help, we should help him. Help him to become a high-spirited and self-confident person with an ideal; one who is no longer disappointed in himself or wants to jump off a building. This is our magical power; and this is "giving alms of fearlessness," just like the Quan Yin Bodhisattva.


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We help others, because when we observe others in distress, it is like we are in distress. This feeling should come genuinely from the heart. When we are cold, we immediately get a blanket, a meditation cloth or a hat to cover ourselves. When others are feeling cold, we also feel it. Even when we are warm and cozy, we cannot get to sleep if we think of the people suffering in the cold. First thing in the morning, we will try to help them quickly. When I help others, most of the time it is because I myself cannot sleep. So, I am also helping myself. If I don't help them, I will feel bad. To ease my distressful feeling, I have to help them, the faster the better. When it is done quickly, I am happy too! This is the natural way to help others.


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When we are thinking of serving others, we will somehow forget about ourselves.


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When we do good deeds the results would definitely be good. Even if the results were not good, we would be contented, would not feel guilty, and would not lose our self-confidence or our self-respect.


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When we serve the multitude, God also serves us. Such is the law on which the universe functions.


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We should do things without any purpose in mind. It applies to any job. Unconditional devotion is the best.


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We keep reminding ourselves what we have done for others, we will be merely doing business transactions like the worldly merchants, and not truly giving selflessly.


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Do not always run around to take care of me. Take care of our guests, take care of our brothers and sisters or whoever needs to be taken care of. It is okay. Everyone likes to run around and take care of me, but you don't realise that I am in all of you. For you to take care of each other is like taking care of me. I only need a little amount of attention. I don't need all of you taking care of me, you will run over me! (laughter). You will overwhelm me with love and attention, and other brothers stand around and nobody takes care of them and it is me too, it is me who you left behind or didn't take care of. I feel the feelings of the person. You don't feel it, but I do. So if you don't take care of them, it means that you bother me, because I will know it, and I will be bothered.