Normally, I would say “no”. But in the light of this economy, I’d have to say “yes”. I use myself as an example because it proves that this could happen to anybody. The economy has been steadily going into the toilet, and there doesn’t seem to be anything that anyone could do. Up until about nine months ago, I paid my mortgage and other bills on time, if not before they were do. Unfortunately, the economy has hit me to the point of losing my job and not being able to find another.
I used to think that if you worked hard, you got rewarded by being able to live a comfortable and peaceful life. Then I lost my job and my normally comfortable life was turned upside down. I sat down one night and looked at my finances, and came up with a plan to cut back on certain things to be able to survive until I found employment. That worked for a very short period of time. Then despair set in. Not a good feeling. I went from being able to provide for my family, to being depressed because I couldn’t.
Through not fault of my own, I found out that my quiet and comfortable life was to be no more. Having paid my house for the last fifteen years, I found that I might very well lose what I worked so hard to keep. I needed help and didn’t know where to turn to. After going through my entire life savings, I decided to sell my house, rather than letting it be foreclosed on. To my dismay, it didn’t sell.
I found myself at a dead end, with no hopes of recovering any time soon. I looked at every possible avenue to fix the situation myself and didn’t find anything.
I realized that even though I didn’t feel comfortable, i would have to rely on others to help me through my dilemma. Once this sunk in, I was able to move on. I did however, do so with the intention of paying it forward when I was able to do so.
Things have gotten much better since my situation and true to my word, I have paid it forward to those who are still in the situation that I was in.
I believe that whenever possible, others should give just a bit more to help their fellow man. After all, we’re all in the same boat and what better way to keep it from sinking, than to be part of a team that will watch out for one another.
This way, when YOU need help, you won’t feel as though you have nowhere else to go.