Struggling to do good

I heard about this cool initiative while listening to the talk by Venerable Reverend Heng Sure “Being Buddhist in America” that I downloaded from iTunes. And I decided to go for it, not in the least part because I would like to listen to the CD!Right, so, as I was listening to the talk, I started thinking about what I good deed I can do. the thing is, I already volunteer for Amnesty International and for a local sustainability organisation. So, whatever I would have done for them could not really count, ‘cos I would have done it anyway. I caught the train home and when I was preparing to get off the train in front of me there was an old lady. I smiled at her and we started waiting until the train stops at the station. Then I noticed she had a suitcase with her, so I offered her to carry her suitcase off the train and down the stairs (as this particlular platform does not have a ramp). I told her that I myself sometimes require assistance of strong men when I travel ith my baby in a pushchair. It was only afterwards that I realised that it was a good deed for the CD. It all felt natural and nice. And being part of community in my nice town that I live in. I know it falls into the “helping old ladies across the road” category that the Venerable mentioned, but here we go.And today as well there was another case. One of my friends is extremely hectic and requires assistance almost constantly. At the moment, for example, she has no access to the Internet, and I check her e-mails for he.r She rang me and asked me to check if she could change the date of her flight (which I also helped her to book a couple of days ago) on a travel agents’ websites. Here, I must admit, I felt reluctant doing so. I myself get very tense and nervous when dealing with online bookings and travel agents, and fees and charges. But I forced myself to go ahead. Mostly, because my firend is in fact helpless. Partially, because I decided this to be my good deed. So, I e-mailed the travel agent with the question, giving my friend’s e-mail, and then checked her e-mail for her when she rang again, also telling her which otehr e-mails she got. I felt quite tense and not very happy, a bit annoyed at my friend, perhaps. But it needed to be done, I helped her, and I am happy that it is done. I will continue to assist her in any way I can, because, if I or our other mutual friend do not support her, no one will.