When you need help, look for helpers -- they are out there

  • Published
  • By Sarina Houston
  • 3rd Flying Training Squadron key spouse
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  As the tragedy unfolded at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut last week, there were many different social media responses, photos, opinions, political rants and more. But there was one quote that stood out to me as it made its appearance on various Facebook pages.

Fred Rogers, of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," once said, "When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'"

I won't burden you with a recount of the day's events last Friday, or any political rambling. I just want to point out that there are many of these helpers in our own lives.

If you're one of the few people that can actually ask for help when you need it, then you probably know that help isn't hard to come by at Vance Air Force Base.

But if you're in the other category -- those who never ask for help -- then you might not be aware that there are helpers out there.

I, for one, rarely ask for help. I like to think that I can do it all myself, but I am usually embarrassed to admit when I can't.

So far, I've made it through life just fine. But here's the thing -- it's not healthy. One of these days the whole "I can do it myself" attitude will fail me. I know it.

I'm slowly learning that people want to help. They really do.

Others like me find it difficult to ask for help, and I imagine it's because they don't want to burden people. The good news is that people aren't actually burdened by helping others. We just think they are.

From my own experience, I can tell you that there are people out there who genuinely want to help. There are people that like to help. They feel good about helping.

They're out there.

They come in the form of friends, relatives, neighbors, and church members. They could be coworkers, fellow students, chaplains, commanders, squadron leaders, key spouses and even random strangers.

They can be found in the offices of mental health counselors, Military & Family Life Consultants, doctors, firefighters and security forces.

They are willing to help and they tend do it without judgment or reservation.

Vance Air Force Base is full of helpers. We just need to look for them.