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HEARTWARMING STORIES AND INSPIRING
IDEAS TO HELP YOU HELP OTHERS!
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Introduction
I READ A BEAUTIFUL AND TOUCHING story about how the community of Gander, Newfoundland, cared for thousands of reluctant visitors whose planes had been diverted there on the morning of September 11, 2001. By the time the last of the thirty-eight jets had landed at the small airport, more than 6,500 passengers were in need of food and shelter in this town of 9,600 residents.
Everyone came out in full force to help wherever they could. People of all nationalities were treated like close friends as the locals opened their homes, hearts, and wallets. They rallied as one to give the visitors beds, showers, food, drinks, clothing, and access to telephones and computers so the visitors could tell loved ones they were safe.
One traveler was on her way home to Chicago and stayed with a family in Gambo, a village near Gander. "They invited us up in the woods for a barbeque," she recalled, "and we
made burgers and hot dogs and had a few beers and kissed the cod and became honorary Newfoundlanders!"
On that clear autumn day, ordinary people were called upon to do the extraordinary-the instinctive response of an open heart. They didn't expect anything in return; they simply did what needed to be done.
Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose next-door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "Nothing. I just helped him cry."
From the extraordinary events of Gander, Newfoundland, to the little boy and his neighbor, we all are presented with a myriad of opportunities to do good. All too often, however, we fail to see the need that is right before our eyes, or if we see it, we fail to act. We may feel overwhelmed, or think that someone else will take care of it or that whatever we have to offer isn't enough.
It is my hope that the stories and material in this book will demonstrate that there are many ways to make a difference. I have divided the selections into six easily accessible chapters: Everyday Good, First Response, For the Holidays, Through the Eyes of a Child, Teen Talk, and Missions of the Heart. These pieces address not only situations that fall into our laps but also ways in which people can assume a more active role by volunteering their time and energy and changing the world for the better.
Each story is followed by a call to action. I thought it was important to include not only inspiring stories but also useful suggestions to help you turn that inspiration into action, to anticipate what might be needed in a given situation and to learn how you can prepare yourself, as well as your friends and family, to do what needs to be done.
In 1988, I was fortunate enough to meet Mother Teresa not once but twice over a period of two days-the second time, by pure coincidence at 3:00 A.M. in a dark airport lounge in Bombay. We talked for about an hour-just she and I-and in that brief encounter, she told me about her missions across the world. She knew each mission intimately, and especially what each one needed-beds, blankets, a refrigerator, a plot of land for a new orphanage. She knew every detail without the benefit of notes or an Excel spreadsheet.
It was all in her head, and in her heart. Even though she was close to eighty years of age and in poor health, she knew what was needed and did it. She was always prepared. Little was left to chance; much was left to faith.
I have told this story many times, and, recently, someone asked if, in meeting her, I thought that Mother Teresa was a spiritual person. Now, of course I knew that she must have been a spiritual person, but I must say that I didn't feel a spiritual sense emanating from her. Rather there was a spirituality existing all around her. In speaking with her, I felt as if I were talking to a businesswoman. She was all action.
Before I left Mother Teresa to return to her prayers, she offered these words: "There is so much to do and so little time." We hear this sentiment often, but coming from her, it took on extra meaning. In the time that has passed since meeting Mother Teresa, I have searched for ways to apply her spirit in my own life, but let's face it: It's pretty hard to
do as she did. We're not all saints. At least, I'm not.
Over the years, I have tried to make a difference. As an eleven-year-old growing up in Montreal, I got my sixth grade class to start a branch of the Society to Overcome Pollution (S.T.O.P.). I have participated in grassroots politics, volunteered as a Big Brother, served dinner to the homeless, and run a few charity races. But like you, I'm busy and find myself trying to juggle many things, hoping to fit in some time to help others-when I can. Mother Teresa knew of what she spoke: Time is short.
So, we don't have to save the world. Just do our part-with our hands, with our feet, with our minds, with our mouths, with our ears, and, most important, with our hearts.
Steve Zikman
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