Helping Others

Took Lea to a GI doctor this morning.  In the 2.5 years I have known her,  her stomach has been messed up in a variety of ways.  Turns out she has gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).  Much like my diabetes, this can be greatly mitigated by appropriate changes in diet.  She will get an MRI later this month to help create a good treatment plan for her.  It will take some discipline to implement changes in her eating habits.  I hope it helps and that she does well.

I needed to volunteer somewhere besides 12-step recovery for the last few years.  Tonight I emailed a program that deals with reading to ESL students near Crossroads Mall.  Some friends have done this sort of thing and found it incredibly rewarding.  I am a big fan of reading and education, so this is something I truly believe in.   I have rarely been a tutor/trainer/teacher in my life, so this will be a bit of a reach for me.

I have been helping Michelle a tiny bit with getting resources for a small church she attends that recently moved to a new location.  It is a challenge to for both of us for us to help her better understand how to use a PC, word processor, printer, and write letters requesting donations.  She has a lot of fear about admitting to what she does not know while trying to do things in a way that does not work well.  It is frustrating for her.  Learning is a skill she has not practiced much lately.  She is extremely smart. 

It is Danica’s birthday in two weeks.  I got her a new laptop at Costco today.  That will be a huge learning curve for her.  She is getting her GED and will be ready to start college later this year.  The laptop will be great for doing her homework and for watching TV shows when hooked to a larger TV screen using an HDMI cable.

It is good for me to help others.  It certainly gets me out of myself.    25 years ago I started three charities in an effort to “save the world”.  It was not as rewarding as I had hoped it would be.  In recovery, I have learned to save the world one person at a time.   That is a lot more rewarding.

I am grateful to be able to help others in ways that work for them and for me.   It is vital to my having a good feeling about being able to make a positive contribution to our world.