GUMMLE
|
Joined: 10/15/2005
Msg: 1 | |
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 1:05:50 AM | I don't think I really understood that before tonight...
On my way home...
In the wee hours of the morning...
For the first time in almost 3 decades...
I experienced a flat tire...
So there I am...
Trying to read the instructions...
About getting the spare unmounted...
From underneath the backend...
And getting the jack out of it's holder...
On a moonless night...
It's somewhere's about 2am...
Very little traffic...
I'm tired, dirty and cold...
So I take a break...
And climb behind the wheel...
To warm my numb hands...
Just then a car pulls up...
With it's 4 ways on...
The driver gets out...
And asks if I need a hand...
I declined...
And sent the fellow on his way...
With thanks...
While I continued to change the tire...
I got to thinking...
After all, what else is there to do...
On a moonless night in the middle of nowhere...
When you're changing a tire...
Right?
Anyway...
I realized that had I accepted his assistance...
I would have finished the job in short order...
And been home an hour sooner...
Just the lights from his car alone...
Would have made the work so much easier...
So why didn't I?
I help others all the time...
And rarely turn to others for help...
Often declining it when it's offered...
And in so doing...
I deny others the opportunity...
To give of themselves...
And make my own way in the world...
Harder than it needs to be...
Another life lesson for me to dwell upon...
So I'm wondering...
Would you have taken the help??
And why/why not? | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 2:57:50 AM | Well Gummle, hard to say now that you put it that way. Now that you have had a chance to think about it, and expressed it in that manner, seems like the best idea would have been to allow the person to help in some capacity.
However if I try to put myself in the same situation as you, late at night, pissed off at my predicament, cold , tired, I probably would have reacted the same as you. Unless his vehicle has CAA plastered all over it what's the sense of having two numbnuts trying to figure out whether to jack up, or .........
The real question is back to you, what would you do in the same circumstance should it happen again | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 3:37:08 AM | You are so right. A good deed replenishes our own soul/spirit when we do one, and there is no doubt that in offerring to help, we are not implying that the other was "helpless".
I had a lady drive me not even 10 houses up the street when I got caught in a snowstorm returning from work with my baby in a stroller that no longer pushed along. So, I waited forever for busses and found myself carrying it from the corner, exhausted and visibly sobbing. When this angel appeared in her mini-van and offerred to drive me home, even though I said I just lived up the street, she insisted and I was just so glad/relieved. It was a big inconvience to her (closing up the stroller all snowy, and put it in her van), scootching over her kids to make room for us in her car to drive us 2 minutes to our home) I will never forget that kindness. | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 3:58:22 AM | well not to make light of the situation..............having a cell phone, with a flat tire.............smiling....................I would have called CAA to come and fix the flat for me, or have it towed..............
I prob couldnt even undo the nuts to get the spare out anyway..................not mechanically inclined at all to say the least...................
but to answer the question, being a woman, alone on the road, late at night, i would lock the doors and wait till CAA got there................... | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 4:42:06 AM | The other fellow simply stopping to see if you needed assistance speaks volumes
for his consideration.
Wheather you accept his assistance or not does not have a bearing on the other fellows
consideration.
The question to ask ourselves is would we have stopped ourselves. | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 5:55:20 AM |
And sent the fellow on his way...
With thanks...
You thanked him...
Had time to reflect on it later...
Then you shared it here in the forums...
I think you...
Have allowed many...
To give of themselves...
Just by sharing...
Your lovely form...
Of free verse style...
And reflection of thoughts...
Peace
Jo | |
|
| |
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 7:15:15 AM | | Gummie? I think perhaps you have truly learned something hun! I hope the next time someone offers help, you take it. You know how you feel inside when you help another right? Well then, look at it this way...Why not let someone help you when you need it and give them that same feeling?We are all human and our "good" feelings come from many different things...I think perhaps that chap was sent to stop to maybe get you to thinking it is time to re-evaluate why you won't let others lend a hand darlin.....think about that! | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 7:26:42 AM | I discovered the same thing this past summer the day I found out my car only gets 658.5 km/per tank of gas. I was rushed and distracted when I left home and forgot to get gas on the way out of town as I had planned. I called CAA and it was going to take an hour to get a truck out. I informed the lady that it was 30 degrees out and I had two young kids in the car, in the middle of nowhere. About 15 minutes after I called them to cars stopped at the same time. One was a friend of mine with her 6 kids in the van who was going to drive all the way back to Strathroy for gas and then continue on her trip. The other was a man who lived a couple of miles away. I took him up on his offer. He returned shortly with a large gas can full. He wouldn't let me pay him for it. I see him regularly when driving in that area (a bright yellow convertible is hard to miss!) and always wave my appreciation and thanks. I will pay that favour forward...
and yes, I remembered to call CAA right back and cancel, with thanks, so they could service someone else a little sooner.
 | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 7:45:16 AM | | Great post....probably not...I can be hard headed and don't want to appear as though I can't handle things on my own...I don't like people to think I am taking advantage of them...but on the other hand...I would be the first one to give ya my last $1, the shirt off my back and sit and listen to your sad story...funny...how do we get that way??? Ummmmm | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 5:11:20 PM | | I read your post this morning and I did post. Then my son and I got ready to leave the house. He took the keys, went out to the car and got the scraper thing. I locked the house from the inside and closed the door--when I got to the car that he was busily scraping, all the doors were locked. THE KEYS were inside the car! My spare key was in the other purse, since I had just switched over, and I kicked myself. All our doors and windows were locked tight to the house, and I didn't have a spare car key in my purse in my hands. Being already late for our meeting in Toronto, I had no option but to break a side window to the house and in the midst of all the crashing and smashing of glass, my neighbours come over with car blankets to cover the sharp edges, and he volunteers to climb through (since we were dressed for a funeral :( ) AND knowing we were already pressed for time, he said to leave the cleanup and window covering to him. Remembering this post, and feeling my own desperation/tight schedule/running very late, I was so relieved to take him up on his very kind offer. I'm still blown away by the kindness of my neighbours! | |
|
| |
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/25/2006 7:36:46 PM | | ^^^Yes there are Irish and we need to let them help us once in a while. It's called Humility, and it never hurt one of us ever. I think the not taking help is more guy trait myself. Men are so determined to never need a hand. I came upon a guy coming off the 401 one night and he was under the front of his jeep barely visible because it was dark and so was his vehicle. I stopped ran down my window and asked if he was ok? he said "yes"...I replied..."you got a cell"? he said "yes I just called CAA". I sure hope he did. I wouldn't leave anyone on the side of the road like that. I had a cousin who died doing that.......some-one came up behind his car and pushed it right over him. Being alone on a road with a disabled vehicle has it's hazards. Take The Help!! | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/26/2006 1:10:10 AM | I can totally relate to offering help to others - but having difficulty accepting help. As I age, I am finding it easier to accept help. My Dad was always the one who saved my ass and helped me out. Now that he is gone, I find it difficult to ask others. But - hey - we are not all "super people" and we do need help at times - and it's not a weakness to ask.
Gummle -in retrospect, I bet you regret that hour of lost sleep, eh?
I think we should all respect good Samaritons (sp?) and let them help when help is offered. It would make them and us feel better. | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/26/2006 9:22:04 AM | | Gummle, thank you- The words written were the words so many are afraid to say out loud! | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/26/2006 9:36:31 AM | I so totaly am learning to allow others to help me - to do for me - to befriend me - to love me - it's the hardest thing to do for most of us who are kind of heart!!
I have auto club thank goodness - but I probably would have done the same as you OP, because it is difficult to just let someone else do things we can do for ourselves. We don't want to be indentured to them or to burden them. It's really rather stupid not to be as accepting as we are giving. We simply have to allow it and to embrace others and thier kindness as much as we give it. I find the more I allow for it, the more balanced and whole I feel. I feel less stressed and less drained from being the doer - the giver - I am glad I have learned that to some extent!! Being balanced is good!!! | |
|
GUMMLE
|
Joined: 10/15/2005
Msg: 17 | |
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/26/2006 10:22:36 AM | Thank you all...
For your inspiring words...
And stories...
I am reminded that...
As many have told me...
Things happen for a reason...
I am beginning to believe this...
Each event that occurs...
Each person that enters our lives...
Brings a lesson...
An opportunity for growth...
And ignoring the opportunities...
May just be the most prideful...
And arrogant thing...
We can do...
One person suggested...
That I was probably upset at the time...
Oddly enough...
I was calm...
At peace...
When the confluence of events...
Brought me to the point where my tale began...
Don't misunderstand...
I was suitably unimpressed with getting a flat...
But at no point was I angry...
Or feeling sorry for myself...
@ Pandora13...
Do I regret losing the hour sleep?
Yes and no...
Lord knows I could use a decent night's sleep...
But the opportunity to learn about myself...
To grow...
Was well worth the loss...
@ Mayor...
I know that I am a private and independent individual...
However...
Refusing even light...
To work by...
On a moonless night...
Especially when the spare is mounted...
Underneath the vehicle...
Where there is no light...
Is bordering on stupidity...
THAT I would call pride...
| |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/26/2006 10:25:53 AM | Would you have taken the help??
No, hopfully not because of pride, or that i refuse to let others help, the very fact they stopped shows their huge respect to help others in need. But more because, i have the knowledge, and strength to change my own tires, maybe in 20 years i may accept that help but right now i can put up with a bit of cold.
but in the bigger picture, i just wonder if one can always distinguish between pride & independence,(edit or arrogance) and to who's defintion of those.
oh damn, i best get back to grade 7 english with my kid | |
|
| Pride goeth before a fall...
Posted: 11/26/2006 10:31:30 AM | | I think this questions goes beyond fixing a flat tire. For many people, one of the hardest things is to admit they need help. We are usually happy to aid someone who needs help with something....why is it so hard then sometimes to accept help from someone else? It's ok to not be perfect...and to require help sometimes....a hard lesson to learn. But if learned, leads to a much happier life. Life is all about give and take....I'll help you with this....you help me with that..... | |
|
| |
Home
login 
