Take The Bigger Step
A couple weeks ago, I went to a friend’s house for coffee. She lives in an adorable older home she and her husband are fixing up. To my entertainment, they are streaming it on Instagram sporadically. They are the sweetest family, married only for a short time and with the most delightful baby girl, their home is filled with books, love and furry friends. It’s also in a neighborhood that makes Jeff suck air through his teeth and ask, “is that an ok area?” iterating his concern for our friends. It is a cute neighborhood, but she admittedly knows it’s a rougher area. This friend is quite a bit younger than I am and I love seeing her energy and spirit. We both love to write, read, and are motivated to make our part in this world useful and good. Our conversations are always too short and infrequent, but bursting with inspiration. This visit we talked extensively on ways we’d each like to do more to be of help to our communities and the people in need in them. She revealed to me this was a big reason she moved from the suburbs to their neighborhood. They wanted to be a part of a place where they could be a hand of help and a smile in someone’s day. She wanted more diversity in her daughter’s life and commendably to teach her to be a person of purpose and value in her world. She stepped in to a life that may not always feel totally comfortable and safe, in order to give to others. As I said, I’m always feeling inspired when I leave.
I am unbearably introverted and have a really hard time being bold. I am terrified that what I have to give isn’t enough. So, very often, I just don’t. I don’t step up. I take no for an answer way too often. I have been feeling very discouraged in my community lately. When I ask to help the answer is so often “there’s no need” or “you can contribute financially.” I have spent the last few years, being told there aren’t opportunities, or when I find a solution to a problem, “it is not going to work,” even if I am willing to make all the efforts necessary to make it work. I’m frustrated and wary. My friend reminded me, however, that there is so much need out there. That my little community may not require my efforts, but someone does. And they aren’t far. So once again, I need to take a bigger step. I feel like the last few years I have taken advantage of opportunities to speak to people and emboldened myself beyond my expectations. No matter how far I got with those efforts, it seemed it was to no avail, but I don’t want to give up or give in. So the next step seems to be: take an even bigger step. Take bigger risks, work harder to be heard. Find where the need truly is and go to it. And for crying out loud, stop listening to “no.”
Perhaps my fear sometimes gets in the way of being able to step up and help. Maybe familiarity is overrated. Probably what I have to give is enough. And coffee with friends, is always a good idea.
