Helping Bill

You know how easy it is to feel helpless when there are so many people suffering through the aftermath of this storm? I've been so busy at work that I have not truly thought through all of it. I've prayed for all of them, but I haven't sat down and really considered how horrible all of it is.

Then something happened yesterday that made it a little more real to me. Yesterday was our office's busiest day in the entire semester, so I have been running around like a crazy woman. In the midst of helping students, I saw a gentleman walk in looking fairly distressed. His name was Bill. He and his family are from Louisiana, and they are staying in a hotel in town. They don't know if they still have a house left. Bill needed to use a computer, just to find some documents and print them out and make a few copies.

We immediately offered Bill an available computer, as my boss had to leave the office for a bit, so hers was free. Bill was in such a state of anxiety that he apologized over and over for getting in the way. I don't know if I ever helped him to understand how good it made us feel to help him, even in the smallest way. We all want to do something, and this was an opportunity.

All I did was help Bill print out a few things and made some copies to give to his relatives. I hardly lifted a finger to help this man, but rarely have I seen such gratitude. Bill asked for a sheet of paper and a pen so he could write a thank-you note to my boss.

Yesterday was the busiest day our office sees for the entire semester, but I don't think I complained once about helping anyone after Bill was gone.