A question that I hear a lot is who helps the helpers. There are people on this planet whose life work, accidentally or on purpose, is helping others. Whether they are pastors, doctors, or a co-worker on the job who seems to know a little about everything, these people are always there when someone needs help. Unfortunately, these same people often do not know who to turn to when they need help.
These people do not know who to turn to, as they are
unwilling to admit to not having the answers for themselves. Looking
objectively at someone else’s situation is easier for a helper than looking
internally. However, helpers need to know that there someone can help them.
Recently, a friend of mine was going through a crisis, and
this person’s only recourse was cryptic messages on social media. The posts did
not accurately convey this person’s situation, and as such, their social media
connections had more questions than answers. If this person, who is a helper,
had reached out to another helper within their inner circle, they might have
been able to gain a greater insight into their problem and possibly achieve a
sense of what their next course of action should be. Instead, my friend still
had unresolved issues, and their social media connections could only worry,
hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel.
The fact is that as people, we know less about ourselves
than others do. The reason is that we cannot be objective with ourselves.
People see us for what we are, while we see ourselves as we believe we are.
This distinction keeps us from realizing or accepting that we might need help
from someone else, especially if we are helpers ourselves. However, helpers
need to know that they are not the only helpers in the world and that there is
someone in their circle that can be what they are to everyone else.
In short, do not be afraid to ask for help, especially if
you are a helper. The wisdom that you can gain from being helped might be
helpful to someone else down the line.
