Where does help come from?

We have had a lot of bad news this past year. Rising prices, health care issues, joblessness, homelessness, illness, shortages, planetary destruction..the list goes on.  Most of us feel like we're swimming upstream is a fast current. Honestly, my heart has failed me when it comes to organizing yet another community service project for my students to become involved with.

Each year we choose a cause to join, be it collecting blankets for animal shelters, food for the soup kitchen, coats for the cold, or raising money to buy a goat for a community in need, or for schools in Afghanistan.  But this year, I have felt the pain of my families trying to stay on top of their own lives in the face of this fallen economy.  I didn't know how to ask for more from them.

The other day I stood with an interested observer who witnessed a small child accidentally spill a container of things she was collecting for collage - sequins, bits of  fabric, ribbon, pompoms, beads, etc.  They scattered everywhere. The woman said, "What do you do in a case like that?" and I answered , "nothing" reflexively.

Nothing? It seemed so detached.  My thoughts raced to defend this answer. Why nothing?  A number of reasons.  By jumping in, I give the child several messages: 1)OH MY GOODNESS!!! - scaring her -2) this is a terrible mess, let's get it picked up! -instilling a feeling of shame or badness   3) I'll do this for you, you need help.   - incompetence.  So by doing nothing, or reacting very slowly, I give the child the gift of independence and confidence in herself as she handles a crisis. But as these thoughts tumbled around in my head in a split second, I realized none of them were all that important compared to what was about to happen. Instead of defending my response, I smiled and said, "watch, I don't need to do anything."

Sure enough within a few minutes there were 3 other children who had left their work or play, and gotten down on the floor to busily collect the debris. No one asked them to, no one rewarded them, they just saw that help was needed and they knew what to do. No words were exchanged.  It's the law of children.  They see, they know, they do. There is no reward, no recognition, no parade....it's just what needs to be done.

I recall reading a study where scientists tested babies in a lab. The scientist dropped a pen. The babies crawled over, picked it up and stretched their hands out to the scientist.  Every one. Over and over. Even though, ostensibly, they didn't know what a pen was, or why it was needed.  Children are born understanding the concept of assistance and selflessness. It is a trait that needs to be nurtured.

In our school,  a number of our families are givers.  They are handing down the legacy of taking responsibility for their school community by giving gifts that allow other families to stay on through difficult times. In witnessing this circle of life, I have once again found the heart to step up in the face of tough times to support a cause.  Next week, I will ask my students once again, for their ideas about what can be done to help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.  We will develop a plan, and pennies will be collected. We will approach businesses and ask for help.  We will become  a group who makes a difference. A school who can say, we see, we know, we do.  And we don't need a parade either!
Thanks to my small friends who continue to teach and inspire me every day.  And thanks to Tabitha who asked me that simple question that helped me find my lost heart.