Tag: receiving-gifts

I’ve been wanting to sell my dining table for some time now, but it’s buried in the spare bedroom in my apartment. I had a plan to clean up that room and make it presentable for showing the table, but eventually I had to acknowledge that that plan simply wasn’t going to work. I have too much stored in there.

Now my plan is to find someone–or a couple of someones–to move the table out to the living room. It’ll take up a lot of room, but the living room is generally pretty well cleaned up and I can keep it that way.

This plan requires me to be dependent on the kindness of others, something that can be difficult for me to do. I like to take care of things myself, and I’ve done well with that so far in my life. But as I get older there are more and more things with which I need to find help. It isn’t always easy.

It’s time to take my cats into the vet for their annual exam. They hate the carriers, as most cats do, and are like poppin’ hoppies when you try to drop them in one. So I need help with that. Last year one of my friends graciously offered to not only help get them in the carriers, but she came along with me to the vet and sat with the one who wasn’t being examined. Since she feeds and cares for them when I’m away, they know her and trust her. I’m hoping she’ll be able to help again this year. But it’s hard to ask since she refuses to let me pay her for the vet trip.

I think it’s in our nature to want to be independent. I’ve been buying books for my mom, something she really appreciates. She needs large print books and the library at her assisted living facility doesn’t have many (except for the ones she donates when she’s through reading them). But it bothers her that I’m spending my money on her. I get that. I’d have a hard time with it, too. I tell her I’m glad to do it, but she still struggles with it.

I even hate placing maintenance requests for my apartment, although obviously if something needs to be fixed I need to ask for help. It’s part of the reason why I rent.

But I know others want to help, and I want to help my friends when I can. I have one friend who’s on a tight budget and I do what I can to help her, like giving her a ride if she needs it (she doesn’t drive). As much as it’s in our nature to do what we can on our own, it’s also in our nature to help. I need to remember that.

So I’ll ask for help moving that table. I need to sell it and moving it to the living room is the only way that’s going to happen. But I’ll look for ways to help others as well. Hopefully, there’s a balance there, but if there’s not, so be it.

Image Credits: Neighbors Helping © armaya–stock.adobe.com; Cluttered room © Good Studio–stock.adobe.com; Cat Carrier © olllikeballoon–stock.adobe.com; Small Car © Doloves–stock.adobe.com