How Big is Your Hand? Or, to be more specific, how Big is Your Helping Hand? Let’s remember what Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” Recently I was a eating a sandwich in a fast food restaurant very close to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station. Only a few customers were inside. A young sailor walked in, ordered his sandwich and sat down fairly close to me—close enough that I could hear him talking on his cell phone. I heard him say that his clutch went out on his car, and that he was waiting for a tow truck to come and get his car. He would go to the garage with the truck. He made several phone calls and looked quite upset at his situation. I debated with myself whether or not to offer to help him get to his original destination. As I was leaving, I did go over to him and introduced myself as a former Navy chaplain. His eyes lit up and a wide smile took over his face. I simply asked if there was anything that I could do to help him now that he was without transportation. Our conversation was brief, and his answer was that there was a tight knit group of guys at the base who would help. So, I wished him good luck with the car and left. As I walked to my car, I was happy with myself that I had stopped to talk instead of simply leaving. I didn’t help him, but I helped myself because I had tried to help him.
