May 12th is Mother’s Day in Australia, the time when I celebrate my mum’s wisdom: stop and help. Her compassionate words mirror the well-known Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” and “If you’ve had a kindness shown you, pass it on.” My mother followed this principle and taught me to care about and help others - regardless of their age or race.
My mother knew how wonderful it is to receive the loving kindness of others in times of great need. Also, that it’s a joy to pass it along when the opportunity arises. To stop and help someone we don’t know may require us to step outside our comfort zone. Yet this selfless action embodies genuine humanity and enables us to be good neighbours and citizens.
BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR - STOP AND HELP.
One day when driving to the shops I saw a workman lying face down on the curbside. Feeling concerned, I asked my husband to turn back saying, “We can’t just leave him lying there. We can’t be like those in the story of the Good Samaritan who didn’t stop to help an injured man. If it was you or me lying on the roadside, I’d want someone to stop and help.”
Leaving the car, I went to the man and asked if he was alright. He was a senior workman of another nationality and spoke very little English. He was quite disoriented and couldn’t remember where he lived. Right then, another man came walking by. I called him over. Amazingly he spoke the workman’s language! Also a young mother driving by, asked if we needed help. Declining her kind offer, I decided to check the workman’s phone and wallet. I found nothing except a card with one phone number on it. Using my mobile, I called and spoke to the man’s work partner who arrived 10 minutes later. Happily by this time, the workman was standing up and fully recovered.
FOUR STOP AND HELP TIPS:
- Open your heart. Let compassion and kind heartedness move you to stop and help.
- Don’t let language, age or race prevent you from assisting someone in trouble.
- Share a cup of kindness with others “…and never fear the consequences”. Mary Baker Eddy. Science and Health p.570:16
- If you’ve received a kindness from someone, pass it on without any thought of being rewarded.
- Teach youngsters to practice the Golden Rule: “Treat others as you would have them treat you”. Bible. Matthew 7:12 Doing so is good for everyone’s health.
ABOUT THE EXPERT:
Beverly Goldsmith writes about the connection between spirituality and health and is a Practitioner and Teacher of Christian Science healing. Twitter: @GoldsmithBev
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