Giving and Receiving

[Andrea Innes-Michailov]

Thanks, Dale, for your support, though I think the moment did not serve its
purpose.  I still don't react the way I would like when I see things that
need reacting to.

On my way to work I used to go down a side road where there was a big dog
who ran in and out of the traffic.  He would meander playfully through the
cars as if there was no danger.  I wanted to help the dog somehow but felt
overwhelmed.  If I called the authorities maybe they would put the dog to
sleep, If I brought the dog home I would have problems with my land lord as
I am not allowed to have pets and so forth my thoughts went until I did
nothing.

I still have not faced the big blob of helplessness that overwhelms me!  I
can't stand it!

Andrea

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Road to Santiago Pilgrimage [mailto:GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU]On
> Behalf Of Dale Marie
> Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 1:53 PM
> To: GOCAMINOaPETE.URI.EDU
> Subject: Re: Giving and Receiving
>
>
> on 14/2/02 4:59 pm, Andrea Innes-Michailov at andreaaCORP.IDT.NET wrote:
>
> > In response to Dale:
> >
> > It just occured to me is that what is an issue here is being in
> the moment,
> > as opposed to trying to get somewhere, always ahead of
> ourselves, not being
> > where we are.  BEING where we are would require a response like
> picking up
> > garbage, seeing what's there, reacting to it honestly.
> >
> > I often think of a young and crying pregnant woman who I saw
> sitting on the
> > sidewalk in Manhatten in 1989.  Every inch of my soul wanted to
> go to help
> > her but I did not. I still don't know how I could have helped her, I was
> > only 22 years old then.  But there should have been a way, a how.
> >
> > Food for thought...
> > Thanks for what you wrote Dale, it was VERY helpful & important.
> >
> > Andrea
> >
> Thank you Andrea.
>
> It's sad you didn't stop to ask that woman if you could help her.
>  But maybe
> that experience has served it's purpose for you as a reminder since then
> that maybe you can be of help to other people in distress.  Don't beat
> yourself up too much over it - you know, when you're 22 you often lack the
> confidence to approach anyone showing signs of distress, let alone a
> stranger.  I'm sure if you were in the same situation now you
> would stop and
> see if you could help because it has obviously affected you, otherwise it
> would have been a forgotten incident.
>
> Regards,
> Dale
>
> >>
>