Helping others as you have been helped.

I saw in the Melbourne Herald Sun on Feb.20 that a guy called Larry Stewart passed away in America. Larry who you might ask? And a good question too, because to most Larry Stewart might not have existed as far as they were concerned. Me too, for that matter, because before that day I had never heard of him either, yet his life story now inspires me.

Unknown to most, even in the city he lived in for much of his life, yet to a lot of people, for a lot of years, this unknown Larry made a big difference in their lives. Yet his story is very simple.

"In 1971, without money and not haven eaten for two days, he had breakfast at a Roadhouse.

When Stewart pretended to have lost his wallet the owner handed him $20, saying, “Son you must have dropped this.”

As he drove off he realised no one dropped the $20. The man was sparing him the embarrassment.

He decided to help others if he had the chance, which came in 1982 when he became a millionaire through a communications company he established.

In December 1999 he tracked down the diner owner, Stewart who died at 58, told him, “I’ve come to pay you back”, and gave him an envelope with $10,000.”

Prior to that, for the last 26 years, he also gave money” to the homeless on Kansas City streets at Christmas time. To the tune of $1.3 Million! This was done anonymously until late last year when he knew he was dying of cancer. He only revealed himself then, so as to raise awareness of the plight of the destitute at Christmas, and in the hope that others may be inspired to do something similar, even if not to the same degree of generosity.

A few thoughts came to mind.

!. It may not be much now, but in 1971, but $20 was a lot of money then. So how generous are we to the really needy? And do we do it quietly or do we try and make a big deal of our “Generosity”? Are we truly concerned with their feelings? Or only our own?

2. Do we make any effort to pay back the generosity of others to us, either to them or by doing the same for others in need? Unlike the diner owner we may never be reimbursed, and even if so, not to the same degree of generosity. But that should never be our motive. We should do, because we can, not because we have to. We should give because we want to, not because we are forced or coerced to.

3. It is not always necessary for us to advise of our good deeds. Often it is far better to go around and do things quietly like Larry for 26 years. This way he was able to help the truly needy without being buried by all the requests and demands of “Professional Beggars”.

4. Yet! There does sometimes come a time when we do have to advertise, not for our glory or recognition, but to find someone with the desire to continue our efforts, and to inspire others, when we know or feel that our involvement there is about to end, whether through death, illness, or simply moving elsewhere.

So to all the “New Larry’s “out there, “Who can you help today and will you?” Walter