Last week was about my wife’s garden and the effort it took to create it.  This week is about bags of rock and not assuming you’re a burden.

When my wife designed the garden, she decided that she wanted to put in some river rock.  A few weeks ago, we went to Lowe’s and got several bags.  When we got home, I unloaded the rock and my wife started placing it in the garden.  Eventually, she saw that we would need more for tomorrow.  She had been working hard all day, so she had no interest in leaving the house. #can’tblameher

I offered to go to the store to get more.  She said I didn’t have to.  We went back and forth for a bit.  Ultimately, she felt like she was being a burden and forcing me to go to the store.  She figured since she didn’t want to leave the house I felt the same way.  Meanwhile, getting the rock wasn’t a big deal for me.  In fact, I viewed carrying the rock as a good workout for the day.  I also knew how much joy the garden would bring to her and the rest of the family.  Ultimately, I got the stuff, and she appreciated it.

Let’s make some connections.  Did my wife’s story sound familiar to you?  Have you ever felt guilty or been overly concerned that someone was going too far out of their way to help?  I know I have.  It’s easy to get conditioned into believing that we shouldn’t ask for or accept help.  It’s easy to feel like we are a burden to folks if they do help us.  The truth is 99% of the time this isn’t the case.  99% of the time that person is helping because they care about you and want to.  Plus, who is to say that they even view the ask or the situation a big deal in the first place?

The challenge: Will you embrace that you are not a burden?

Have a jolly good day,

Andrew Embry