Look For The Helpers

Even from a distance…
New York to Boston…
New York to West, Texas…
New York to Washington, D.C…
New York to China…
Last week was a tough week emotionally.
The Senate vote on gun control.
A fertilizer plant explosion which destroyed and devastated a community.
An earthquake that has left thousands homeless.
The terrorist bombing and manhunt in Boston.
By the end of the week I, like many others, found myself both tired and tired of it all, and closing down emotionally and somewhat numb wanting to turn it all off and to turn away. But, that is not how I want to live and not what I believe.

Once again, it was/is the wisdom of Mr. Rogers of children’s television fame that helped me turn the corner.  This quote from his book Mr. Rogers Parenting Book circulated widely on Facebook and Twitter and other online social media.  “When I was a boy and would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”  

It stands as a reminder that what we look for matters.
And, what we see matters.
If we only look for the sensational and the violent and the destruction and the worst we can do to each other, then that will be all that we see.
But if we look for the helpers
If we remember the names of those who stepped into the breach instead of the names of those who caused the devastation…
If we celebrate and do our best to emulate those who do what is right despite the potential cost and those who extend themselves for the sake of another…
Then, that is what we will see.

Too often the news focuses on the sensational.
Maybe they think that is their job.
If that is the case, then it means it is up to you and to me to look and to see and to name the helpers whenever and however and as often as we can.
And, maybe even to be one ourselves.