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Category: Helping Others

Angels In Life

Published on May 21, 2025

I’m a part of a 30 person camp who all share the experience and responsibility of Burning Man each year.

One of the camp members called me the other day with an ask.

She was explaining to me that her and her husband had spent some time with one of the older camp members and that he was, essentially, losing himself. He was becoming erratic, nonsensical, and unable to maintain a conversation… that he was no longer the person she had met some 30+ years before.

The ask was if I would be willing to drive him and his RV to the burn and then back again afterward. She explained that he was one of the people whose life was dramatically changed by Burning Man and she knew he wouldn’t be able to make the trip on his own anymore… and wanted to do everything she could to get him back for at least one final burn.

I hope one day… when I’m older, erratic, non-sensical, unable to maintain a conversation, and by all intents and purposes—losing myself… I have people in my life who look out for me in the same way. Who stay with me for long weekends… who know me better than I’m able to express at that aged time… who are willing to go above and beyond to get me to one last burn.

People like these are the angels of our lives.

And the funny thing about getting angels in our life… is that you usually get them by being one in other peoples’ lives.

Good Karma Is Always A Good Idea

Published on April 2, 2025

Spend a little time each day helping people while you still can…

It’s one of the best ways to ensure that when you need help, you’ll have people who not only can…

But want to and will.

Prioritizing Here Over There

Published on March 31, 2025
  • I have a new employee starting today.
  • It’s one of my friend’s son’s birthday today.
  • My aunt is moving into her new “forever” home today.
  • My co-worker is having an intense back surgery procedure today.
  • And while I was driving home today, I saw that my neighbor’s house caught fire and burned down. Literally four houses away from where I live.

For each of the above situations, there are things I can do to help out. Things I can do to show thoughtfulness and care. Things I can do to make a real difference in their day… maybe even longer than that.

And my bet is, that’s probably true for you, too. Maybe not to the same extent that it happened for me on this particular day… but there none-the-less. Heck… maybe even more so?

My point is… maybe you’re focusing too much on the grandiose or getting too distracted on screen impact… and not enough on the folks in your own neighborhoods and in real life (IRL). The time, energy, and effort invested IRL can have an exponential effect compared to the same invested into screens.

Respect

Published on January 12, 2025

I went out to eat dinner with six friends tonight.

After the meal we walked outside, but one friend was missing.

I glanced back in the restaurant and he was cleaning our table, stacking plates and cups, collecting all garbage, and tidying up in the best way he could.

When he finished, he walked out and I said, “respect.”

He replied by saying, “I was a server and know how it can be. Some people leave their space as an absolute disaster… I never want to be that person.”

And it was a good reminder that… neither do I.

Karma In Action

Published on January 11, 2025

I’m thinking about making a big musical equipment purchase.

What’s interesting is the thought I had about how I want to make the purchase.

See, I know a guy who knows everything there is to know about audio and sound system setups. And he has taken care of me whenever I’ve called him for help—as in way overdelivered for the price he charged. And is just an absolute gem of a guy.

Rather than just seek out the amazon or cheapest price purchase, I want to make the purchase through this guy so that he gets a commission cut on it.

…I want to go out of my way to help the guy who has always helped me.

This, my friends, is how karma works.

The Thought That Counts

Published on May 18, 2024

My instinctual response when I’m sad/grieving is “That’s okay… I’m fine… Thank you though.”

It’s what I’ll say when people ask if there’s anything they can do… if there’s anything I need… if I want company or conversation or food or distractions or hugs…

I’m not entirely sure why, but maybe it’s because I want to feel and deal with the weight of it all on my own… maybe it’s because I’m introverted and simply don’t have it in me to expend any more energy being with others at that time… maybe it’s because I don’t want to inconvenience others and/or bring them into the wave of emotion I’m helplessly immersed in… maybe it’s all of the above mixed together… or maybe it’s none and I’m just trying to put on a facade of strength…

And while I genuinely mean it (and believe it) when I say, “It’s okay…” “I’ll be fine…” “Thank you so much for thinking of me, though…” I also must say that I’d be way more sad/broken without the offers, thoughts, and/or sentiments at all.

In this case… it really is the thought that counts.

Thank you—to all those who have been thinking of me during this tough time.

Don’t Let Your Strength Weaken The Ones Around You

Published on April 13, 2024

Sometimes (oftentimes) the best thing you can do to help the people around you grow… is less.

…Yes, lead by example.

…Yes, do for others what you would want done for you.

…Yes, offer support, take initiative, and maintain a strong work ethic.

But, also…

…Share the hard(er) work, large(r) opportunities, and high(er) pressure situations.

…Give people space to explore, experiment, and figure things out on their own.

…Allow people to struggle and mess up and fail.

Growth happens outside our zones of comfort. And if we keep the people around us too comfortable (by doing much of the uncomfortable work)—contrary to what we might see as a service to them—what we’re actually doing to them is a disservice.

Because while being comfortable is what we think we want in any given moment (and what we might think we want from the people around us/working with us)… what we actually want is to do something we can be proud of… something that challenged us and made us better… something that helped us realize our potential.

And sometimes (oftentimes) that only happens when the stronger people around us… do less.

P.s. Borrowing Strength Builds Weakness – A Lesson From My 104 Year Old Grandmother