The other day I was speaking with someone who was saying they have always wanted to work on a farm. So, I told them I still know people who have mixed farms and that they would be happy to have him go out and help. They'd show him the ropes and he could get a taste of what kind of work it was like.
The first question was, "Do you get paid for that?" My response was something along the lines of, "No. You'd just be going out to lend a hand and probably get fed." I explained I wasn't going to be trying to get him a position as a farm hand; but, that it would just be going out and helping for a day or part of a day to see kind of what they do out there.
I explained that on a farm in a community quite often neighbours just help out neighbours. People invite you to brandings for instance and it's more of a social time, it's not really about owing someone for their help. You do what you can to help others and in turn they usually will be there if you need something.
This helping out neighbours isn't always at the forefront of people's minds all the time. It's why someone is stuck on the side of the road and watches countless people go by before one stops. Obviously there are things going on in their lives and might not be able to stop or might not feel comfortable stopping.
The other day after the big storm I got home and laughed a little at someone who had attempted to plow their way into a parking spot. They had gotten stuck, so I walked up to my apartment and grabbed a shovel. I'm sure the person who got stuck had been working on it for at least an hour clearing snow and apparently no one stopped to see if all was well.
I initially thought about just heading into the house and starting to cook supper; but, my farmer side took over I guess and I went back out to lend a hand. It would have been so easy to just walk away. I didn't know who this person was that had gotten stuck and could have just ignored her. Quickly I dismissed ignoring her, however, because if it were me toiling away I would very much appreciate someone helping me out.
She seemed pretty happy to see me walk up as she was completely determined to get her vehicle out. She pretty much had it ready to get out, but was also sitting on some ice so we dug her out a bit more. At this time someone she knew stopped by and said they'd grab a tow rope. We just worked away at it while he was gone. We shovelled and once it looked like the car might move I gave it a push as she put it in gear. We were able to get it out by the time her friend got back.
That was that, I actually can't even remember her name and I'm not sure if she remembers mine; but, sometimes it's just nice to help people out who need it. Often in cities people don't know their neighbours and are inclined to look the other way. Something for nothing isn't typical anymore; but, maybe it's having been raised on a farm or just the way my parents raised me despite whether we had been on the farm or not; but, I think it's important for people to not always get caught up in their own lives and when they see someone who could use a hand to give them one.
This includes holding doors for people, volunteering, doing anything that might make someone else smile. Sometimes you'll be ignored, but this doesn't matter as they might have something important on their minds. You never know what someone else is dealing with and to offer a bit of kindness may even make their day.
It's true people seem ruder today and are less interested in being neighbourly. This is actually quite sad and makes me think of a quote that is attributed to Albert Einstein, "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity."
Technology can be fantastic, yet it can also be a great problem. People no longer depend on their neighbours because they can get or do something with the help of a technological advancement. Einstein is more than likely speaking about the creation of the atomic bomb. I think his attitude, however, can be an umbrella of what society has now created with everyday technology and not just weapons of war.
Kids used to be active and people used to actually talk to each other, now they're playing games on their iPods and becoming inconsiderate towards others. Though technology might not be what has changed society I think it has had a huge influence both for worse and for better. We just can't get lost in technology and forget about the fact we are all in this world together.
Why not do something nice for another person? Whether you believe in karma or not, being kind pays off. Don't get into situations that make you feel uncomfortable, but try to do something nice for someone if possible because that one small act might make someone's day depending on how their day is going.
