Tweet
Hey guys and gals. Figured I'd post this as a place for general inspiration. Maybe its a personal story, something you've read or heard or something you saw on t.v.
-
-
I had a really close friend who was living life near skid row. He was near rock bottom and made what money he had waiting tables and helping out at a performance hall. Whenever I'd call him, we'd chat about the local bs and I'd try to talk him into moving up to a better restaurant or trying something a little different, but it was usually met with "mind your own business" in a somewhat stand offish remark. We'd joke about stuff but every now and then, I could tell that something was deeply bothering him. He wouldn't talk about it so I let it rest. This was a buddy whom I'd played with growing up, fought with on occasion, but spent more times laughing and playing practical jokes on throughout our childhood.
Several weeks later, I called to find out that his phone line was disconnected. Where did my buddy go? I got worried and called around. Lateron I got a call from his girlfriend that he had moved in with her so I was kind of glad to hear this. Turns out he was spending more time helping out at the performance hall which he liked more than waiting tables but couldn't handle all his bills from going out and partying with the bands he was with. He was making very little from both jobs that he had, but was making even less now in the job that he enjoyed and his girlfriend was worried about him. I could hear the quivering of his voice and it ate me up because he was tight lipped.
I was flown up north for a job interview in a city about 30 minutes away from my buddy's hometown. The job was very steady and secure in terms of pay. The interviewing boss told me that if I could prove myself on the floor, I could move up get more training and possibly a bigger raise. WOO HOO!!! Damn, I had stars in my eyes for this job because I was determined and extremely excited by the prospects! When I flew back into town, I went out and celebrated with my friends and had a great time.
Later that week, my buddy's girlfriend called me and we talked. I new something was wrong but she didn't want to say much. Found out that he got screwed over at the performance hall and was flat broke and had bills to pay. He was selling plasma to pay things off and it f@ckin broke my heart to hear this. I sat up all night thinking how to solve this problem. I prayed to God to ask for solutions.
Decisions decisions........
Next business day, I called the HR person whom got me the interview and I told her that I would not be taking the job but that I could find someone who would be a great replacement. I talked about my buddy and how he's got a killer work ethic and a smart head on his shoulders. She agreed to look at his resume since they needed someone for the position and that I'd been good with my word.
I called up his girlfriend and told her about the opportunity and she squealed! He was reluctant at first in his mind your own businesss way, but I sent him some money to get a suit anyways and gave him some insight into what the job would mean for him in terms of providing for himself and his girlfriend and how his personality was well suited for the job. His girlfriend knew how to push his buttons though and he went on to the interview with a new suit and new possibilities.
Needless to say, he got the job. And I'm proud to say that it has provided well enough for him over the past few years to start a family and get things moving in the right direction.
It took me a few months to find work, but it was a worthy sacrifice since blood is thicker than water.
There's that old saying that if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day but if you teach him how to fish, he can feed himself for a lifetime.
Sometimes all you need to do is give the man a fish and a little confidence and if he has the right mind, he will learn how to catch fish on his own.
This isn't some bull$hit story and lesson that I pulled out of a self-help book, its real. I'm looking forward to hearing others life changing events that were powerful motivators. -
Comment
-
great story, we can't take lightly our own individual respnosibilities to be good stewards of our money. It took me many years to learn this.Comment
Comment