Real Kato Blog: Helping

The world is full of sad stories. Tell me how I can help.

I have money.

I don't want to sound boastful. And it's not that I'm filthy rich. But I'm comfortable. I've had a good engineering job ever since getting out of college; I don't have a family to support; I live pretty modestly. And although I lost money (lots of money) in the stock market when the tech bubble burst, I've made a lot of that back (thanks primarily to Apple's recent fortunes).

So I'm able to save money towards early retirement. I'm also able to blow money on toys and fancy dinners and trips and such, from time to time.

Then I read things like this ad on Craigslist. Or this entry in misskerri's journal. I see that not everyone is quite as lucky as I am. I really feel like I want to help. You know, I don't like donating to faceless charities. But I do like helping people if I know I can see a direct impact in their lives.

I'm sure there are some people who would see this as a desperate attempt for approval, a way to get other people to like me. And I can't deny that there's a little bit of that. But I've thought about it, and it really comes down to this: for me, helping people is a way to feel relevant. Since I don't have a wife and kids, sometimes I don't feel very important. To my friends who love me: Don't get me wrong, I appreciate you tremendously. Really. But for a lot of you, I'm not the most important person in your lives, and that's a hole I'm trying to fill. Doesn't everyone want to feel important?

I also understand that a lot of people don't want a handout. People don't like to feel beholden.

But look: if you're my friend and you're really in need of something, ask me. I want to help. And even if you're just a friend of a friend, ask me. I can't promise that I'll change your life, or even that I'll do anything at all. (I mean, I'm not going to buy everyone an iPod just because they want one.) But if you tell me your sad story and show me your good heart, I'll try to help. If I think I can do a little something to make your life better, that would make my life better too.

Happy holidays, everyone.

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