The other day I was invited to a dinner party at my neighbor’s house. While there, enjoying myself, I overheard another neighbor saying that he had just installed deer fencing at his place.
My ears perked up. My heart started pounding. I didn’t even know this neighbor but I stood up, walked over and asked,
“Would you recommend him?”
“Yes, he did a great job!”
(Trying to hold back my excitement…) “Was he reasonable?!”
“Yup, he’s a retired contractor and a neighbor!”
(My heart leapt out of my chest and my eyes widened – trying to sound calm even though my voice was cracking) “Would you mind putting me in touch with him?”
“Not at all. I’ll text you his contact information”
HALLELUJAH!
I could hardly contain my excitement.
IT REMINDS ME OF THIS SCENE IN ‘DEATH BECOMES HER’… when you hear of that ‘great helper’ you want that person – badly.
Do you do that, too, when you get a great recommendation for a helper?
My eagerness reminds me of this scene… Did you see the movie, “Death Becomes Her?” Well, there is a scene where Isabella Rossellini’s character has the magic potion of youth. Meryl Streep’s character wants it very, very badly.
Click here to watch the scene on You Tube.
The pitch… Isabella has the very desired product. The Fountain of Youth.
Meryl can hardly contain herself as she writes the big check for the potion.
Meryl drinks it down with gusto!
FENCE GUYS, FEEDERS, HOUSE SITTERS… those very important potion people.
For those of you who don’t have a handyman around the house, or a competent teenager or a great neighbor who loves to housesit – like me – you know how important it is to find someone who can hang/repair a gate, feed the horses well and housesit (without having the police come by…).
NOT TODAY, BUT I’M STILL IN!
As it worked out, we have suddenly lost our tenant in Grass Valley, so I cannot put up the fencing I had hoped here in Paso, just yet.
But, I didn’t want to lose the interest of this ‘great fence guy’ by contacting him and then cancelling. So instead, I passed his golden digits to yet another neighbor who also needs a new fence. This was a win-win because my friend was thrilled to have a contact (practically grabbed my phone to get his number…) and I was able to offer work to the ‘great fence guy’.
FOR WHOM ARE YOU THAT ‘GREAT PERSON’?
I thought about this a lot… sure, at my old work, I was fortunate that my skillset was in high demand (commercial producer), but it wasn’t really a heartfelt need or a great service to my community or to any one person.
I guess a good way to distinguish what I mean is that I don’t get Christmas cards from my previous clients… But all of my helpers are on my Christmas list. Great helpers leave a mark on your heart.
Hmmmm. And then I came back to a very wise statement I heard from an elderly man a long time ago. He told me, if you are sad or depressed, go out and help someone else. That act of good will – will turn your life around. That’s God’s promise.
And it is true. We all may not be that great fence person, or horse feeder or house sitter… but just the act of being there for someone who needs you… well, that is the whole idea of being ‘a great friend’.
Which, I guess. is really the very best thing to be.
MARCH DROP IN THE BUCKET FUND!: Two mares, TRAPPED IN A STALL FOR YEARS WITH MANURE SO HIGH that their backs rubbed on the ceiling – enduring horrible disfigurement … Meet our March BUCKET FUND HORSES: TIA AND SHAKIRA! Please FORWARD! Click here for story and to donate: https://www.horseandman.com/?p=53889
We are halfway to our goal for these mares! Great job! We can do this and it helps them greatly! All donations are 100% tax deductible! Click here to donate! (Thank you!)
