I feel like life has been a lot lately. We have major conflicts happening in multiple areas of the world. The U.S. is teetering on the edge as we bound toward election day. Geez, even my mayor’s office is a mess. So, when my family and friends were rocked by not one, but two major hurricanes this past month, it left me feeling overwhelmed and struggling to make sense of it all. Where can people who have suffered so much loss find the strength to keep on keeping on? A wise and kind soul, Fred Rogers, inspired me to find hope in the helpers.
Fred Rogers, or Mister Rogers as he is well-known from American TV, was a beacon of kindness during his lifetime. When I did a deep dive on his life for my post, Mister Rogers: Kindness–Deep and Simple, I came across a quote of his that has always stuck with me:
“If you look for the helpers, you’ll know that there’s hope.”
Rogers described how his mother used this idea to comfort him whenever he witnessed catastrophes on TV as a child. She would tell him, “Always look for the helpers. There will always be helpers, just on the sidelines.”
When you’re feeling hopeless due to the overwhelming despair in the world, try a different Google search or scroll on your phone. Search for the good that people are doing all over the world amidst the turmoil of today. Look for those who are sacrificing their own resources to help others get back up.
Shelley, a close friend of mine, lives in Asheville, NC, an area that was devastated by Hurricane Helene. Her family and friends’ lives have been turned upside down. But a recent update from her resonated this message of hope:
“We are the helpers and the ones being helped. It illustrates the web of how interconnected we all are. And how damn GOOD and kind and generous most people are.”
Mister Rogers’ idea of finding hope in the helpers is solid. But if you want to make an even bigger impact on your own personal wellness (and others’), become one of the them. I say it all the time: performing acts of kindness has been proven to improve both your mental and physical well-being. If you really want to feel the impact of kindness, try inspiring hope in others with your own selfless actions. It’s a win-win.
