LEND A HAND GIVE A HAND

There is a saying in my native tongue (the Yoruba language) which says, “One hand alone cannot lift a load to put on the head” and so I start with this saying. Imagine that you are at a crossroad with a heavy load you need to carry on your head. Would it be possible to tie one of your hands at your back and use just one hand to lift the load on your head? Or would it be possible for you to lift a 50kg bag on your own head without help? Why is it that the market women in spite of everything would ask the person closest to them to help them with their loads?

That’s because one hand alone can’t lift a load to put on the head to do that you need the helping of another able and willing hand. Are your hands helping or willing? Do you lend a hand or give a hand or are you the type that sees someone in need and just pass by with giving a thought to helping out? Do we need to remember the story of the good Samaritan? I remember a phrase one of my friends loves using “right back at you!” she says it with so much finesse that I began to wonder the weight of the phrase.

That is exactly it with lending a hand to the guy next to you. The implication is that it comes “right back at you” since what goes around comes around. Every time you lend a hand you get two back in return, yours and the grateful hand of the guy you have helped. It is a lifetime of hands that you can make use of at any time you need them. Accordingly more effort from others in helping to lift a load means that the stress of lifting is spread and the strain on one person reduced and balanced out.

Life is more meaningful to us all if we learn and become our brother’s keeper. When you lend a hand to someone in need you give out temporarily that which he needs to be who he should or to get to where he needs to get to. In return you get back not just your hand but the loving hand of gratitude from those that you have helped. There are so much ways by which we can lend a hand to the guy next door, find them and make good on them. You will find that your life becomes much more fun and meaningful. Be of help to those who are honestly in need of it, don’t wait for them to ask for it because they might not ask.