Look for the Helpers

Courage is our not-so-secret weapon to take on more than we think we can handle and
do our best in the face of overwhelming odds.

It is courage that allows us to find the
path forward when our road becomes unclear.
-The Miracle Collectors

The waning days of summer are upon us. As Dr. Seuss said, “How did it get so late so soon?” Time waits for no one, and any day could bring an opportunity to exercise courage, as Katie writes about in this month's blog. We hope you all find the time you need to enjoy what's left of  fun in the sun.

Collecting Miracle Moments One Story at a Time.

Joan and Katie

A couple of weeks ago in midtown Manhattan, a crazed gunman opened fire in the lobby of a business high-rise just as the evening rush set in. My daughter had just left her office directly across the street when she got word of the unfolding tragedy and that her colleagues had been told to shelter in place, so this particular act of violence hit home more than usual. As the spray of bullets erupted, a greeter in the targeted building saw a place to get out of the way, a utility closet, just as he saw eight people emerging from the elevator. Rather than just save himself, he risked the extra seconds it took to usher all of them into the safety of the closet. He told everyone not to make a sound and blocked the door along with another man.

Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood fame told the story of his mother’s advice when seeing something scary on the news. “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping,” she said. Andre Morris, the lobby greeter, and helper in this instance, showed obvious courage, split second decision making that likely saved their
lives. And, of course, Mr. Rogers’ mother was a wise woman, because the helpers don’t just save the day and save our lives, they give us a reason to balance the ugliness, violence, and trauma of our existence with goodness, selflessness, and care. Perhaps one of the best examples of this was the great boatlift on 9/11 when 500,000 souls were rescued from lower Manhattan by tugboats, pleasure boats, ferries, and Coast Guard boats. If you need some reminding of the importance of that delicate balance, you can watch the short documentary here, narrated by Tom Hanks.

“Look for the helpers” is a bit like becoming more aware of the miracles in our lives. It’s a shift in our thinking or perception and gets us to focus away from that awful thing over there toward something courageous or beautiful. Some might say it’s putting on rose-colored glasses, I say it gives us a reason to get up in the morning. Whether it's stories on the news or the stories of our lives, looking at the courage of others can boost our own miracle courage response, ‘to find the path forward when the road becomes unclear.’ According to Anais Nin, “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” Like turning the boat toward danger or shielding our fellow humans, it can also be an act of courage to help ourselves and rise to whatever occasion presents itself in the best way possible. (Katie)