Help Without Helping

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I did put it out for one day, but something stopped me. Along with MS, I have severe scoliosis, a marked twist of the spine that bends me to the left. Perhaps I identified with that twisted, long-ignored plant. Anyway, I brought it in and stripped off all the leaves except one, the least infected. Without much hope, I washed the whole thing down with the antifungal liquid. I brought the plant up my room and, so it wouldn’t fall over, placed it so that the bend in the stem leaned up against the edge of my writing desk.

For the first time in its life, the plant was supported. It took off. I mean, within three weeks that thing had so many big, beautiful, healthy leaves it was glorious to see. Even the diseased leaf got better, although not quite as pretty as the ones that had never been sick. It is still growing furiously, as if to make up for lost time, still twisted, but now perhaps the healthiest plant in the apartment.

Of course, this rubber tree is just a plant, and plants are notoriously hard to kill.  But how many people have grown up in dark corners, twisting themselves into weird shapes, trying to find some love?  How many become sick or suffer simply because they lack support?   And how many, even with a major illness, could grow spectacularly if they made a few life changes?

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19 Responses to Help Without Helping

  1. Angelee Dion says:

    Your stories always move me, David. Thank you again. (I also recently reread much of The Art of Getting Well and was again inspired by its compassionate wisdom, humor, and reminders to be kind to ourselves and our bodies.)

  2. Linda C says:

    I love this story, David, and I love the way you told it.

  3. Pat Gray says:

    I know your advice is good—but difficult for me to follow. It’s hard to see someone suffer when I think I have a good way for her to change and make her life better. I will stop giving her books and advice and just try to be like your desk.

  4. Michele Weitz says:

    I’m going to pass this along to a few people with the intro, “If you *really* want to help me, …” I’ve also written down a few take-away messages as reminders to myself when attempting to give advice. Thank you again for great inspiration.

  5. Jean Selby says:

    As a social worker, it is easy to fall into the trap of trying to fix or change someone who we see as suffering, when we think we know what would help. However, I have found that being supportive, letting them know how I see the situation, and just asking how I can help, is often more effective that any unsolicited advice.

  6. Linda Martin says:

    A beautiful story about the rubber plant. I can see that I am probably a “fixer” and need to learn better. Probably just need to learn to be a “prop” for people. Sometimes all we can do is listen to people and pray for them.

  7. jamal says:

    thanks, david. super entry. it gives me another way of looking at how i can make progress in my relationship with my daughter. way too often i try to do way too much to help her, whether she asks or not, whether she welcomes it or not. rather than helping, i end up pushing her away. i am struggling to learn how to just be present to support her by simply listening to her, rather than always being in problem-solver/protector (translation: controller) mode. thanks again for your helpful article.

  8. Marsha says:

    Wonderful story, David. Thank you!

  9. lynn says:

    really good story and follow-up to your other recent posts

  10. Neal says:

    Thank you for a great article. It reminds me of how important it is to have patience, and thoughful presence of mind when offering support. I suppose I would be more open to help if I believed more people understood Maureen’s approach.

  11. Tammie says:

    What a great story, David. I am one of those people who “help” the wrong way, and this gave me much needed perspective. You always inspire me! Thank you.

  12. Tom Robinson says:

    Great post, David. I especially liked your sharing with us how your friend helped you when you fell. What a wonderful person, with a wonderful presence, to have as a friend!

  13. I read the whole story. Reminds me of my son, being up when everyone else is asleep so he doesn’t have to deal with the rest of us.

  14. DT says:

    This story touched me in a way that I have not been touched in a while. You know what I have been going through … reading this story let me know that there are persons going through something that they may not be ever able to over come. Thanks for sharing it with my and letting me know this “in order to get to your destination, you must go through a number of things that will only serve to make you stronger in the end”.

  15. Scot Murphy says:

    Thank you, from someone who is at times in both positions. It’s gotten easier for me to ask for help since I decided to do positive things as often as possible. But since I can’t really do a lot physically, I repay with kindness…I say good things to people who deserve them, I open doors, I make people laugh, I support and encourage people. I am the recipient of so much help in so many ways that I’ve been changing my life just to pay it back. Now that we’re even, I take when I have to and pay back as often as I can. People want to be good; stress drives it out of them.

  16. Patricia Monagle says:

    Loved it!

  17. You can spend years trying to help people when what they really need is to be let go of so they can decide to help themselves.

    It’s incredibly hard to do. Totally counter-intuitive. Pains you inside. Often, they start to blame you when they’re no longer able to rely on you as an enabler. But it’s frequently the ONLY way to help.

    Definitely hit a chord with me.

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