Hope and Kindness #MFRWauthor

Words to live by. As I thought about this week's post,  I heard voices. No, not the voices of a crazy person. 

First there was my grandmother's soft, but stern, admonition that, "If you can't say something good, don't say anything." Which is one of the reasons why I won't discuss politics (from either side), or review a book if it is so poorly written I couldn't find any redeeming factors.

Then, there was my father. "Do onto others as you would have them do onto you." Now that could be taken as an old country warning not to cross someone, or positive words of hope--the belief that if you treat people well, they will respond in kind. He would help a friend get their crop in from the field or don an Indian-pack to help a neighbor fight a brush fire. Before the days of ubiquitous cell phones, he changed tires for women or elderly couples stranded on the side of the road and asked nothing in return. He just hoped that if one of his needed help, that someone would step up.

Over the years I've helped with what for me was a simple service, usually with a "You're welcome, I'm just returning a favor once done me. Shoveling a path to a neighbor's door so they could get to the street (or the ambulance team in) or helping the booth next to you at a street fair set up a recalcitrant canopy were among the methods I paid forward a kindness given me.

I still remember the joy in a "then" young writer's face when he read my edits. He couldn't afford to pay for any help, so no repayment at least in earthly coin was expected. My notes were preface with "It's your story. These are suggestions to toss or use as you will." That simple accommodation made his day. He read the suggestions and his mother later told me he used every one, that they made a dramatic difference. I don't know if he ever published the story, but at that point it time it was enough to pass along the knowledge.

Of course there is the other interpretation of "do onto others" that is not so positive, when trust is not proven out. That emotion rose recently as I looked at the results of a major contest. Not one but two of my books made it past the first round and since I was with a publisher (who urged us to support each other) and active in several groups (where we were supposed to help each other) I had hopes that because there was a relatively small field I had a chance to move onto the next round. After all, of all those people I helped promote, those who when asked for votes in other contests received them, at least a few of them might have the integrity to return the favor.

You can guess what's next. Even after I lowered myself to ASK FOR HELP, the response was more than disappointing. Neither book made it to the finals. Their support could be counted on less than one hand. Will I continue to pay it forward and give help when others ask? Right now I don't want to. In fact I don't want to write ever again. But the reality is, I will hear my ancestors' voices and will.

What's your words to live by and why? Share if you care to and visit the other posts in the challenge. ~till next time, may hope and kindness be yours. Helen