Just Help

You are needed. A friend of mine is in their first hurricane today. They had a plane ticket out. Instead of ensuring their own personal safety, they decided:

We’ll ride it out together.

My friend knows they are needed. Not everyone can leave. Not everyone has the physical or financial means to go. Someone has to stay and help. 

The eye of the hurricane is passing over my friend's home. They stayed to help.

Helpers don’t announce their intentions. They don’t say what they are going to do. They just help.

Time to Step Up

My first experience with hurricanes happened in 2004. Four back-to-back hurricanes – Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne – hit Florida in a span of about six weeks. I was scared. 

The Governor said not to rely solely on the government for help. He said it was physically impossible for the government to help everyone who would be needing help. 

He said it’s time for all of us to step up. The most vulnerable are the ones who suffer the most. He said it is our job to take care of others and help. 

My Florida friends and I sprung into action. We didn’t have time to be scared when our thoughts were to just help.

We didn’t have time to be scared.

Our world needs help and many more helpers.

Less talk. More help.

Our world needs help and many more helpers. Damage is being done by much more than hurricanes. 

The decision to help comes when we give up control and go where guided. It’s not logical, and it rarely happens when we put our own needs first. 

The best helpers help others without anyone knowing what they sacrificed.

My friend (who gave up their seat on a plane headed away from a hurricane) knows how to do it. To go where guided, we must go where needed. 

You are needed. Don’t wait for the government, or an election, or a boss – or anyone else – to determine what you can and can’t do to make the world a better place. Just help.

Note: Wondering how to help Hurricane Milton survivors after the storm? CBS news published this article. Thank you for doing what you can.