Retts Syndrome

I am fundraising for Retts Syndrome.

My friends daughter was diagnosed with this recently. It's not news that any parent wants to hear about their child. If you want to know more about it, read this

I am all the way over here in London. She is in Australia. But at times like this, distance is nothing. If you really want to be there for someone, you can be.

Of course an email or a phone call sometimes can not substitute for a hug and a shared cup of tea. But needs must.

Since I received the news, I have thought a lot about the nature of giving. I have a theory in life.

I believe people are either those that lift, or those that lean. 

Aim for this in life

Life can change you of course from a lifter to a leaner or vice versa. Or you can be a lifter in one friendship and a leaner in another.

But overall, people have a basic inclination to veer towards one way or the other.

The leaners, on hearing of other peoples misfortunes tend to say:

Oh I am so sorry. If there's anything I can do, let me know.

And then they go back to their lives. Sometimes I think it would be better if they had said nothing at all.



And not so much this...unless you are doing a MJ dance move

The lifters on the other hand, are people who show up unannounced at your doorstep with enough cooked food to last your family at least a week. They go into your kitchen and wash up the mountain of dirty dishes that have accumulated. They do your laundry. They babysit and force you to have some time to yourself. They send you little things to remind you that they are thinking of you. They sit with you over wine/tea/coffee and keep you company while you cry.

They do this without asking,

Do you need any help?

Because when misfortune hits, that is a rhetorical question.