"Most of us will go through our lives never truly appreciating how much we have been carried during our journey; how much we have travelled on the backs of others before reaching our final destination. Our parents, family, teachers, employers, neighbours and friends have each, at some stage of our life, been there to help and support us when our need has been greatest and our awareness or lack of knowledge and experience has often been found wanting.
Some of the help we have received will have been 'up front' and we will, therefore, be aware of having received it. However, there will be far more support and help we have received 'in the background' and benefited from on our path of life that we may never think about or know of.
I know from my own experience over the past five years when I have been at death's door a number of times with my terminal illness and its associated medical complications, just how important the 'background' silent help of my God and the constant prayers of my family and friends has proved in pulling me through; a few times against the medical odds. This is the crucial help we all receive (often unknowingly); the help, which like the best of all charitable acts, has no need to shout out its presence in order to effectively make a huge difference and do its work.
There is also the long-term help you may receive, but you deeply resent at the time of getting it; the unwanted truth or some advice you know to be correct but are yet unable to emotionally accept. For example, who helps you the most; the friend who gives or loans you some money to temporarily ease your own irresponsible mounting of debt, or the friend who hears someone speaking badly of you and defends you in your absence? The mother who chastises you and pulls you over the coals when you do wrong, but cuddles you when you do good, or the mother who believes you can do no wrong and defends your actions to all others, whatever you do? Would you prefer a friend who is prepared to tell you the truth even if it hurts you to hear it or one who pretends, praises and agrees with you, in order to spare your fragile feelings and preserve your good will?
The travelling of life's road is never an easy journey and our passage is often made much easier by the good intentions and actions of others; often in the background. I like to call this contribution by others 'the silent support that lives on the gentle side of courage and inhabits the right side of goodness'. " William Forde: May 8th, 2018.