Do Something Nice....

[purfektstranger]

Yeah we've heard it all before..... Do something nice for someone and you'll feel better for it.....all good deeds return.......blah blah blah. For the last five months I have been out of work (not by choice... the organisation was downsized and my job cut after being there 15 yrs). I wasn't struggling financially but had to respect my budget nonetheless. The jobhunt seemed to be going nowhere, although I was really working hard and being persistent.

Three weeks ago I get a call from a friend of mine I hadn't heard from in a long while. Basically he said he was stuck financially. Little money, little food but supposedly some cash on the way. Against my better judgement I decided to lend him some money and bought him (and his two dogs) some food despite a nagging doubt inside me that this was all bologni and he had simply put himself into a financial hole. Well....three days later the phone rings with a job offer that I ended up taking. A week after that my friends call and is ready to pay back my loan to him. Turns out he is alone on Christmas day so I am going to pick him up this afternoon so he can share a meal with my family and some friends.

I am not a real religeous guy and losing my career left me pondering my self worth at times, often wondering whether or not i could ever find a good job again. Doing something nice for someone worse off than me allowed me to gain a better perspective on things. It also taught me that life should be less about what you have.....and more about who you have in it and what you as a person can do to help someone else. Regarding the quick turnaround in my job fortunes? Who knows........ I'll leave that to fate

Do something nice for somebody if you can. Might not get you the Nobel Peace Prize but it will leave you feeling a whole lot better. More importantly it helps someone in need.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all my brothers and sisters at Talkbass. I too needed moral support after leaving my job and got bucketfulls from everyone here. For that I am grateful.

[FrizzleFry]

that's very kind of you! That's Karma for you

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas man

[jady]

Doing good is it's own reward!!!!!!

I try not to lend people money, I just consider it a gift and if it comes back, great, if not I wasn't expecting it to.

[Valerus]

Nice story!

I try to be nice to people, regardless of it being the Christmas season.

[purfektstranger]

You guys are all right.

[jsbass]

What do you do for work?

[tplyons]

Good for you man, seriously. There aren't enough people like you these days.

I do what I can, too. So kudos to you.

[fraublugher]

Merry Christmas you frostback renegade

[Lorenzini]

That's great man.
Truth is, what you can do for others is what defines you, not necessarily what you can do for yourself.

Of course, that's not to say you shouldn't help yourself, because doing that will enable you to help yourself and others even more.

On a side note, as musicians we do help people don't we?

[wemedge]

Good on you, that was a very decent thing to do, especially given your job situation at the time.

wemedge

[purfektstranger]

"On a side note, as musicians we do help people don't we?"

I guess so.....people (hopefully) enjoy hearing us and take something from it. I am definitely looking at things alot differently from how I used to. More aware of how giving (even your time if you can) makes a difference. I'm going to make a habit of it.

[Dr. Cheese]

I have found that within reason, it has never hurt me to help someone else. The way I look at it, I would appreciate help if I needed it, so why not give it if I can? As a Christian, I am a big believer in trying to show my faith through my actions, instead of telling everyone how good I am.

[Lorenzini]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

[...]I am a big believer in trying to show my faith through my actions, instead of telling everyone how good I am.

+1

[Loose Cannon]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

(...) I am a big believer in trying to show my faith through my actions, instead of telling everyone how good I am.

+1,000,000 ! I only left out the word "Christian" because all religions should follow this philosophy. My father is an old-time hellfire and brimstone Missionary Baptist preacher, and although I consider myself a little more openminded, I was also raised to believe in helping those in need.

I can understand your initial hesitation, Purfekstranger. Many people put themselves into a bad situation through poor choices and decisions. But, we probably all have done it to some degree, and sometimes it is the kindness shown by another that helps a person help themself and make positive changes.You may have been the right person at the right time for your friend.

Thank you for telling us about it, sir, and congratulations on your new job!