Tink is stretched a bit thin these days.
Done — 4 months ago
Worth doing!
In honour of my old friend Susanna, who taught me a crucial lesson about asking for and accepting help.
I was lying in a hospital bed in the middle of one of my first few bouts of Crohn’s, and feeling singularly useless. She came by to play a game of Scrabble with me. I remarked on how I didn’t know how I’d ever pay back all the kindness I’d been receiving from people – some of whom I scarcely knew.
She said, “You know, letting people help you or give to you is a gift to them.”
I said, “Whuh?” (Must have been the drugs. I’m usually a bit more articulate. I was whupping her at Scrabble.)
Her reply: “Think of how good you feel when you get to help someone else. Now, every time you let someone help you, you’re giving that person the opportunity to feel good in just that way. It would be a shame to deprive others of the chance to give to you.”
I’ve never again looked at receiving help, kindness, and caring the same way.
She was diagnosed with MS a few years back. So while my donation is of course meant to support GoodnightGrace, it’s dedicated to Susanna.
