The helping hand

A couple friends of mine asked for my assistance buying a house and, of course, I am more than happy to help out a friend in need. We talked on the phone and decided to get together on Saturday night at their current residence, a rental property, for coffee, cake and conversations around the journey they're going to embark on.

The couple are a little older than I am, and way smarter than me as well...I mean way smarter!

Both are university professors and at the forefront of their respective fields (globally) and both have jobs that can't be spoken off in the defense industry for the government. They deserve their roles and have worked their entire lives to be the right people for those roles...but when it comes to buying houses in Australia...well, they're totally clueless. I, on the other hand, spent twenty or so years in the property industry in commercial real estate mainly and while I don't do that any more (thankfully) I have residual skills and attributes and it's those they're tapping into and I'm most happy to share.

The couple are Bulgarian and are such lovely, friendly and accommodating people, and they've been good friends but...in truth they're a little clueless on many matters; I think it's because their brains operate at a higher level than most so often they don't tend to relate well to the more basic and mundane aspects of life. The wife is better at it than the husband, he's a fucken nutbag on anything that's not in his field - I find it a little funny - and he knows it. Anyway, I'm helping them out and having the chance to do so makes me happy.

I've always tended towards being helpful, to giving to others when they have a need in various ways; I recall my mother and father saying that I was this way as a little kid. I guess it translates to generosity and a sense of care towards others which comes out in various ways such as being protective over those who cannot do so for themselves, supporting those who need it and generally helping others when I can and the need arises.

My mother used to tell me stories of how, as a very small kid, I'd do stealth-missions into the kitchen to raid the cookie jar, usually because my elder brother put me up to it. Somedays I'd get away with it and take away a couple of stolen gingernut biscuits mum had made, always one for my brother of course, and sometimes I'd linger too long and get caught. She told me how she noticed that I'd stay on-mission until I was sure I had a biscuit for my brother as well as myself, I'd never leave without his even if it meant getting caught. I guess that innate need to help others, be generous and giving of myself was always there.

I actually get a lot of enjoyment out of helping people and even more when I see that assistance improve their lives, make them happy or simply solve problems they cannot solve on their own just like I'm doing with my super-intelligent clueless friends mentioned above.

Are you the, lend a hand, sort of person and if so do you find value from the assistance you provide like I do? Have you been someone who needed help and received it and if so how did that assistance impact upon your life, how did it make you feel to receive that assistance? Interestingly, I am one to apply independence in my own life, I don't like asking for help, but I know the value of receiving it (and giving it) and I wonder if you gain the same value. Feel free to comment below if you'd like to.