If Help Needed (by a friend or someone else) What Would YOU Do? (Call 911, Talk them Through, Act from your Heart no Matter the Cost or Risk?)

The Brooklyn Unitarian Church in New York, US of A-Miracle (or so we can pray), held a raffle which gave a prize of picking a sermon topic. The winner asked that the sermon be on Charitable Giving (and was in early May 2016 and is online, which would be a great way to spend ten minutes before reading or after this post.)

Would you save  a drowning child is one question raised and explored not only in the talk but in a book referenced which looks at the risks and benefits fo giving. The overall point is 'if it would not cost you too much time, trouble or money relative to the greater benefit for you or other person, particularly if someone were in peril or injury or death, one basically should do it.

IF it would cost you your basic safety or life, then one would not be 'expected' to go to great lengths or take extreme risks to prevent harm or even death. The sermon, again referencing the book--which I will try to add  the title of here--uses that platform to explore why wealthier nations don't do all they could in reasonable terms to assist the many vulnerable children and others who need basic hygiene and support for survival.

This post explores a few topics of a practical nature but also the difficult topic of sudden emergencies, whether one should take life-endangering actions and in the after math, encourage all to plan to prevent more calamities whether motor vehicle collisions or break downs (including running out of gas, please fill at the 1/4 tank not the E for Empty. Also Don't Drive in Dangerous Conditions of Freezing Rain or when Roads could Ice up, with bad tires, bad brakes and on long trips without breaks, when tired or angry or hungry or otherwise too sad, worried, confused. I know, when would we ever go anywhere or do anything? Really try to have someone Else do the errands or driving and help you at all corners of your crisis, even if longterm.

When a friend in the northwest corner with young adult progeny posted on Facebook whether people would show up for her if she had a heartfelt need or emergency, a few answered, they'd be right there, answering the call...

I added some deets to that kind of answer with a heads up that it's not a luxury but a necessity to try to have some 
Game Plans in place for the What Ifs of parenting, self-care and other challenging life events, relationships and more (think weather, not feeling well in strange places or at odd times and not quite know who to call....

Well, make that list Now when you feel pretty good and don't forget to text or let someone know daily if you are changing your routine, taking a trip and so on.

If everyone becomes more accountable for their whereabouts, who they are with and where they are going, what they are doing (and keep it on the approved list rather than the never been done or Mom wouldn't approve list or against the basic safety or laws of common sense and survival list--even if All or some of your cool friends are doing it.. well, you will likely be alive to think about Maybe doing something out of the norm with better terms and support another day, see how that might be the better game plan?

In life, sports, parenting and growing up, staying in the game and playing it on the 'safe stay-alive side' can really be the better way to enjoy the journey with friends, family and others in your growing circles of connections in person, online and even with the divine, angels and good folks on the other side guiding you when things seem iffy or extra insight is needed.

Learning from the experiences and events of one's family and friend as well as circle's and area makes sense since many factors are patterns even over decades. May as well play your best game with the knowledge and networks you have tapped into and create or redefine over time accordingly.

Nothing like getting a dozen or so folks 'on stand by' for needs like rides at late hours or as back ups (to the hospital, if a ride to the train is running too late, if you need to get out or out and about...

All of these are real-life issues for folks without public transit, so most of rural America.Then there's the digital divide for looking up numbers, working under pressure (college apps and scholarships and even SNAP and Health Insurance apps and updates and endless other important helpful tasks of daily living and ADLs.. ADLs is a medical/ nursing acronym for activities of daily living, such as getting out of bed, dressed, and following a basic plan of eating and activities for the day.

A side note here to try to give more attention to as a community for greater awareness and support as well as to prevent falls, some folks not only can't get out of bed alone but sometimes can't get up off the floor.plenty of folks with mobility issues and not always full time care, or seizures or heart issues, etc.. not to mention labor when the baby's coming when nature calls not as planned, etc).

Like I said plenty of real life stuff to try to have some community think tanks, school networks (class by class) and block by block of neighborhoods (or prisons depending on where you live) to be safe, smart, accountable (that means NOT Doing Anything one can think of if no permission from the greater guidelines.

Rescue and community informed Voluntary Guidelines and as makes sense Legal--that covers no drinking and driving, no underage drinking even at one's home, no jumping in fast water or even regular water if it's not a supervised sensible time.

Those would include not in the middle of the night, or with jet skis and out of sight near a rope swing--yes a near calamity once occurred with such a scenario, and really don't go out on quiet lakes without a life jacket.. a fellow once succumbed to a cramp and when calling for help his friends thought he was joking.

Another time a nice man took some kids fishing on a quiet pond before a wedding and the boat tipped, He got both kids to the boat again but couldn't get himself back in after having been under and up twice getting them.

Not to go on too long cuz I'm about to take a short trip, but I told some folks where and when I'll return.. okay, that's all for now, but by all means..'you can call, out my name and you know wherever I am...I'll come runnin' to see you (and when safe rescue you or call 9-1-1 which IS what the experts say to do).

Hard but important to think of the outcome had Kaelan not gone in to try to save his third friend (though amazing he got two out from land without them panicking and pulling him in or him just falling in, etc).

Likely Skip would have gotten there as he did and rescued the lad, and Kaelan could have been thrilled to watch and known to stay on land due to the force of the water (had he taken some rescue trainings which I had asked him and his Dad to assure me would be the case...and no telling if that could have really prevented the loss).

But say Kaelan had stayed above the water, did Skip have two ropes? The mission for rescue would have upped the risks likely (Skip was getting knocked around as was the lad who'd already gone under and thankfully resurfaced from the current's grip. Beyond our control, in God's hands and a miracle on all accounts that the teen was saved and in good shape to tell the tale.

All the kids should be able to process whenever they can with support whether with friends, family or private help both talk and creative arts (drawing, moving, dreaming out loud..and allowing the feelings and ideas, wishes and emotions to move up and out or down and out of one's energy field, whether through prayer, meditation or other means.. Some say a divine healing of allowing a spirit to fill one up (after asking forgiveness for any intended or unintended harm or wrongdoing) can work wonders.

Many who believe in the power of Jesus Christ who asked his father and our Creator G-d for forgiveness for his enemies is the kind of actual spiritual help we need in such times, and even through our days. It can really help to have some options and be grateful for the gift of life, the breath we have, the minds we can use and relax at night when we sleep..and begin again, as new beings growing in love, trust and teamwork on many levels.

Some of us have a dozen siblings (or more)and it's not always easy, but it 's like living ten lives at once.. and that becomes manifold with the generations and the circles of friends and societal changes..so there's plenty of reason to keep going and keep growing with wisdom, kindness, health, talent and friendship, safety and well-being.. and so it goes...