Tara Pringle Jefferson is a freelance writer from Ohio, where she lives with her husband and two kids. Visit her blog, TheYoungMommyLife.com, for daily musings about the issues young moms face.
Imagine how different life would be for President Barack Obama (I’m still getting chills just typing that) if he didn’t have a supportive collection of grandparents, teachers, neighbors, colleagues, friends and associates. Imagine if no one was willing to listen to him, if people shunned him, if he became a victim of his upbringing. What if?
But he did have people along the way to nurture his intelligence, to help mold his genius. He has become one of America’s greatest success stories.
But what about the unknown kid that you may see walking to school every day? What about the boy who spends his nights devouring books but shuns reading around his friends for fear he may look weak? What about the young girl who fresh out of high school with doubts that she can make it in college? What will become of them if no one helps them along? What if one of them were to be someone special, only we didn’t know it?
I’m making it my personal challenge to find someone to help along that path of success. I’ve been blessed thus far. I’ve got a loving husband, great kids, a good career, supportive friends and a family who is always there when I need them. If that’s not enough reason to begin focusing on someone else, I don’t know what is.
Have you taken stock of what your gifts are and how you can help others? Think about giving back this year the easy way. Taking someone under your wing doesn’t take much effort, but the rewards are limitless.
Harriet says
Great article, Tara!
Personally, I’m always looking for opportunities to bless others and sow at least an encouraging word into their lives. Times are difficult these days. You truly see what people are made of in extreme times of recession and extreme times of prosperity.
These are the times that will magnify who a person truly is. When you see Madoff trying to send his jewelry to family members to keep those who he ripped off from getting to it, or that stupid financier that was ripping off people in 3 different states jumping out of a plane and trying to commit suicide, you see what they’re really made of.
Then, even in the midst of you trying to purchase a home, having two children and a career, bills to pay, diapers to change and food to cook, yet still trying to find a way to help someone else and encouraging others to do the same, that says a lot about who you are as a person.
We may never meet face to face, but I thank God for you. I’m blessed to have met you in this forum. Sorry for the emotional sentiments, but giving back and serving others is close to my heart, and you really touched me with this article.