Hurting and Helping

ron thomas

There is, in our community, a lot going on all the time. At any one time it can be a lot like High School days and sometimes Jr. High. Interactions between people, groups and individuals can be interesting and frustrating at the same time.

I suppose what makes it a neat place to live is all the interaction... the good and the bad. The toxic behavior mixed with selflessness and everything n between. Can anything be done about the negative things? Are there things that will raise the tide and float everyone's boat higher? I suppose there is. Doing something about issues seems to always crunch somebody's toes and make others happy at the same time. What a deal that is! Can we talk about specific behaviors in a non judgmental way that may open the eyes of those meant to see without hurting them?

Would it be possible to write in a generalized way about a behavior that is bugging folks without upsetting the target person(s)? To write such an article would first make everyone including the offender wonder if the article was written about them. Paranoid? Well it could be and that would lead to even more strain. The writer would have to be someone that has an impeccable reputation for everyone to agree that what is written is not a personal attack but an effort to point out a problem. But who among us has such a rep.?

Some notable issues in the community in the past and probably now to, that many are aware of include folks that have lost their ability to care for themselves but are unaware of their plight. What to do? What about people that we know have become really bad at something but are unaware of it? For instance, do we know of people whose driving skills have deteriorated but they are holding to the notion that they are a good driver? What to do? People who are taking new meds that are unaware that their personalities have taken a turn for the worse. What to do? People who are fiercely independent but are increasingly becoming more and more infirm and refuse help even to the point of falling down and refusing help to get up. What to do? Folks that have been told they have not much time left and we all shrink from visiting with them? What to do? What about the folks that create a yard that brings the value of the homes around it down? What to do?

I have seen those that want to help go and help shop, feed, clean, run errands and many other unselfish acts. Still I wonder what can be done for those many other things that need attention? Even in a community south of here I know of an organization that was keyed to emergency response and neighbors who responded to a neighbors distress were threatened by a law suit. What to do indeed?