The last few days have been something. My attempt to help someone out with something has landed me in quite a complicated position.
It all started about two days back when my elder sister ask me if I could do some graphics editing for her (for her fiance actually, but i didn't know that at the time). I might be a bit computer savvy, but graphics has always been my nemesis, but because it was my elder sister asking, I told her that I could.
The documents that needed editing were extremely confidential to her and her partner that they refused to send it to me over whatsapp or any other means for that matter. So, I had to go over to their place. I would later find that the software i would need (Adobe Photoshop) had not being installed. We had to leave it for the next day when we could get the software pack.
The next day, I set out to get the software installed only to find out the system is virus infested. Now I had to first deal with the virus problem before the editing itself. Note this, at every step of this journey, i could have stopped, pulled out and gone home, but no.
I had a number of things to handle that day and also had to get back to my resident at school. So, I suggested taking the system with me, doing the needful and returning by Sunday. On getting home, I had to wait for electricity to power the laptop as it was down. When electricity did come, I plugged in the charger, but the charging light wouldn't come on and the system wouldn't come on either. It's been twenty nine hours since then and I still haven't been able to do anything.
The problem now is that I don't know how to tell them that the laptop all of a sudden ain't coming on without them thinking it's my fault. My only other option will be to go fix it with my own money, but I can't, because I don't have any as of the moment. Now, I am stuck, and for what? For trying to help.
In the same way as I experienced above, some of us have or are beginning to find ourselves in complicated situations, just because we wanted to 'help' someone out. We go out of our ways to help others and sometimes we get caught in quite dire and dangerous situations and the people we were trying to help will not even know, just like my sister and her fiance are oblivious of my situation right now.
Image Credit: Isaiah Rustad (https://unsplash.com/@isaiahrustad)
Most of the time, we probably know things like these might happen if we choose to help, but due to one reason or the other, we just feel like we can't say no, we have to help. That's wrong and a lie. You can say no, you have every right to say no if you don't like what you're being asked of.
While it's very kind and noble to want to help people all the time, it's important you're convinced of what you're going to be helping with. It's important you ensure it's safe and look out for yourself first. It's okay to say no if the request seems shady and unclear, regardless of who's asking. You don't have to rashly put yourself out there, in unclear situations just to help someone out.
Conclusion
It is a noble thing to look out for those people to care about, but in a very funny way of looking at it, that nobility is hypocritical if you don't look out for yourself first.
How I wish this rant would help me find a solution to my dilemma, but it doesn't seem so. I can only hope you learnt a thing or two and it wasn't a complete waste of your time though.
This is an original article by me first posted on read.cash
That sucks! I hope you can get it sorted. So often, we help others and it ends us costing us something. I feel your dilemma!