The Beauty of Many Hands
Asking for help has never come easy to me. It's a trait, unfortunately, that I seem to have passed on to my son, Andrew. Like me, he struggles to reach out when he could use an extra hand. Some of my hesitation to ask for help stems from early experiences where I was shut down after asking. Those "no’s" built a wall of self-reliance around me, making it difficult to let others in.
Recently, my daughter, Hannah, mentioned to me that she had offered to help Andrew on several occasions, but he always turned her down. While I was at his house, it became clear he needed some assistance with putting up some garden vegetables, and I reminded him that his sister was more than willing to lend a hand. He admitted the timing hadn’t been right before but decided to reach out to her this time.
Andrew is an avid gardener, growing a large garden every year and sharing the bountiful harvest with friends and family. He and his wife also preserve vegetables for the winter months, a task that can be time consuming and overwhelming, especially with a newborn and a toddler in the house. This year, after picking bushels upon bushels of green beans, Andrew realized he needed help putting them up. Both my daughter and I offered to assist, and much to our delight, he accepted. He even sweetened the deal by offering to buy us dinner for our help—deal!
On a random Tuesday afternoon, we gathered at Andrew’s house to tackle the mountain of green beans. Together, we trimmed, rinsed, blanched, and bagged the beans. In total, we processed 21 gallons of green beans! It was a true family affair, even his two-year-old daughter, Emery, got involved, eagerly helping out by carrying buckets of beans to dump into the wash tub for rinsing. She was soaked from head to toe and as happy as could be, helping out her Daddy.
The evening was capped off with a delicious dinner on their deck, surrounded by the beauty of a summer evening. Spending time with my family, whether for fun or to accomplish something together, is one of my love languages. Helping Andrew with the green beans wasn’t just about getting the job done; it was about connection, support, and love. If we hadn’t been there to help, they would have had a circus on their hands trying to manage it all, especially with a newborn and a toddler in tow. The work went so much faster with the extra hands, I suggested making it an annual event, and to my surprise, Andrew agreed. He was genuinely grateful for our assistance.
For many, asking for help feels like admitting weakness or burdening others. But in reality, it’s an opportunity to strengthen relationships, share experiences, and make challenging tasks more manageable. The beauty of many hands is a blessing. Helping each other isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a demonstration of trust, love, and community. If you find it difficult to ask for help, remember that many hands truly do make light work. Don’t be afraid to reach out—your loved ones want to support you just as much as you want to support them.
xoxox….Sheryl
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