Something Better Than 'Call Me If You Need Any Help!'

I heard this phrase in the last few days for more than 100 times, as we were getting ready to bring a new member in to our wonderful family; "Call me If you need any help".

I was very happy to see so many of my friends offering help in the time of need. I was really thinking of using some help as there are so many things to take care of and so little time was left before the big day. So I listed down the most important things to do one day and tried to figure out who to call for help.

I quickly realized that they are so simple things and most of them just take under 5 minutes, I wasn't sure whether they are worth calling up your friend, ask about their schedules and request help to get those things done. And many a times, everybody have their own weekend plans. So need to coordinate, not to disrupt their plans. None in the list is so big enough that needs a call, explanation, adjustment and coordination. Not that my friends won't oblige, but are they worth asking for? After a few minutes, I was little frustrated too. So many friends offered to help and I couldn't ask them anything that would really save my time and effort.

While I sat there quite perplexed and getting ready to work on the next thing in my list, a friend called me, 'Hey I am going to the Walmart in a few minutes. Do you have anything I can pickup from there'. Aha. Thank you so much.  Of course I had a few things to pick up from Walmart.  That call did the trick.  He really saved one time consuming trip to Walmart. And, one thing off the list.  

And the best thing happened a little later. Another friend just dropped by to see me and helped me with whatever I was about to do. Thanks a ton man!!

Lesson for me and everybody

If you really want to help your friend in times of need, please don't say, call me if you need any help. Just go and help. There will be 100s of simple, silly and boring things your friend may never call your help for.  But you can save his/her day by giving a hand to get rid of a few of them.