It turns out I need lots of help, even for things that I think I should be able to do on my own. As I accept that idea for myself, I am better able to see that this is how we were created. Humankind was created “in the image of God.” As a Christian, I see God as Trinity: both three “persons” and only one “God.” I won’t make an attempt to explain it, but it definitely implies that humans are made in a way that we need each other. We need each other and are far more dependent on each other than we recognize.
Because I recognize that I need help in so many ways, some of which I detail below, I can also recognize that many people need help with affordable housing. I am privileged to be a part of the solution, and hope that you will join me!
I have needed a lot of help throughout my life, and this journey is no different. There was a time when I rarely allowed myself to ask for help. Usually it was because I was embarrassed and wanted to protect my ego. I didn’t want anyone to know my weaknesses, or even to know that I had weaknesses. That doesn’t make them go away, though! Some of them seem silly to me—things that “everybody” should be able to do on their own, but for some reason I can’t. Others, like losing weight and getting in shape, are things that few people are able to do on their own, but I still think that I should be able to do it!
Right now I am preparing for a bicycle trip across the country and for a move. I knew that I would need help preparing for the bicycle ride. I have done a lot of long-distance riding, but I was worried about such a major undertaking, especially knowing that there are mountains in the way and no way to bypass them if you ride West to East across the entire country. I needed to improve. Except for endurance and stamina, I have never been good at pushing myself physically. I was not likely to get much stronger without help. So finally I broke down and decided to hire a trainer. That always seemed like a luxury to me, but I really wanted to work toward this goal. It’s one of the best decisions I ever made.
I have been working with my trainer, Carlos, for about ten months now, and I am in the best shape of my life. We started with a lot of strength training and a little bit of cardio work. A little bit of cardio was all I could handle at the beginning. Now, in the last few months before the ride he has upped the cardio conditioning. He pushes me hard enough to improve, but not hard enough to be injured or get discouraged. I have also gotten better at pushing myself, though I still work harder during our sessions together.
Preparing for a move is a big job, but straightforward. I find that I need help with that preparation, also. I even have trouble with the straightforward parts. I get easily distracted and sit down and read instead of sorting and packing. Last week, I called a friend and said, “I need somebody to boss me around.” Just having her in the house so I don’t sit down and start reading will make a big difference.
Sometimes I just have to admit that I need help, even if I think I should be able to do things on my own. It is part of being human.