Something's happened where someone's kindness has nearly set me back but I'm pleased with how I'm dealing with it. Background - as the years have gone by, I have been let down, sold short, misled, cheated etc. by so many people and organisations. E.g. various government departments, employers, health professionals, lawyers, builders, plumbers, fuel companies, cable companies etc. I've reached the point of finding it very, very difficult to trust anyone to help.
But the pandemic built on existing community structures where I am, making it easier to ask for and give free help. I both give and take. But someone asked me to do something I very happily did, then suddenly gave me a present to say thank you. Earlier today, I felt suddenly like it made asking for help harder. Will people expect a 'payment'?
But I've now managed to remind myself that they didn't offer any payment/reward when they asked me to help, and they would know that there was no expectation of one when I agreed to help. That doesn't mean I wouldn't give someone who helped me anything, it just means that I've reminded myself that people don't feel you're ripping them off if you ask for help as a neighbour and don't offer any payment/reward.
