A Reversal of Thought

I have thought about writing a book. But I normally just end up with a bunch of short little essays.................. Anyway, I thought I would share one with you. So here it is:


Every man has needs. That is the poor man. The rich man. The married man. The single man. Their needs are different. But they all have needs. I know so many people who focus simply on those who don’t have what we think of as the essentials. But when did we make not having three meals more important than having joy and peace? I could eat all day and still be extremely unhappy.

So what are the needs that each of us should try and fulfill for others? I can buy a homeless man a meal, but tomorrow he will still be hungry. Buying that meal is easy. Its 5 bucks at Mcdonalds. But does that truly help him? And I’ve had people who come into my business and beg who obviously need help. But I have never known how to help them. I want to. I truly do. But how? Do I bring them into my office and talk with them? Most have drug problems and what do I know about drug problems? I have never had a drug problem. So how do I relate?

Maybe I don’t have to. Maybe I just have to Love them. Be willing to step past the idea that I can help them. I need to tell them that I have no knowledge of what they are going through. That I want to help, but I am as full of need as they are. Because I truly am.

Maybe what we should do is share our need with them. Have them help us. The time I feel best is when I am helping others. Maybe they have never felt that. Maybe they have always felt like they are the ones who need all the help. The ones who are so bad they could never help anyone. So lets break that cycle. Lets share our needs with those we feel are more needy. Let them help us. Give them a purpose.

The benefit is that we have our need filled. And we lift another. In a way they may have never thought possible. What better way to learn you can take care of yourself than to find out, you have taken care of another? The truth is, I have never tried this. Do I think it can work? I don’t know.

The purpose though, is a new idea. A way of thinking that opens other ways of thinking. And I’m pretty sure no one has ever thought of making those we consider most in need, in charge of our needs. In charge of fulfilling the wants of those of us who have. Those of us too good to let others in to fill our lives.

Because we do sometimes feel better than others. I do it. I have a nice house, a good job, and a wonderful woman. So how could I not be less needy than the man with a drug problem who stops by and lies about a false need to get money to fill his true want? Because quite simply. I’m not. I have my own set of needs. My own set of problems and lies. My own insecurities. Now if only I could really convince myself of that.