Saturday, October 22, 2011

Over the past few months, I’ve written a lot about helping others when given the chance.  I’ve put this in varying contexts, but all have involved one person reaching out to another whether that person is in need or the helping individual recognizes the signs of an unrequested need. 

But what if the help needed is more appropriate on a longer-term basis instead of a one-time venture?  How does one go about helping another over a period of time?  This is where I believe that a mentoring-of-sorts relationship is necessary. 

Mentorships take many forms.  Some are with individuals we’re familiar with but with whom we have no intimate relationship.  Others include those with whom we are quite close.  Still more may involve strangers who have approached us, intrigued with something they’ve seen us do and would like to have us share our skill set with them.

Whatever form the mentorship began as, all have a common thread.  Simply put, mentoring another means that one individual is willing to go above and beyond to enlighten another with knowledge they’ve gained.  Ideally, I believe the mentor seeks nothing in return other than the satisfaction of knowing that they’ve helped to make another’s life better.

Of course, there are those who prey upon ones who genuinely seek the guidance of those more knowledgeable than themselves.  These I refer to as self-serving predators who I avoid at all costs and steer others away from. 

In my opinion, the very act of my enlightening others to steer clear of those predators means I’m mentoring them in a way.  Why?  Because I’m going above and beyond to share valuable knowledge I have, expecting nothing in return other than to know that I’ve helped uncomplicated the life of another.  After all, isn’t that a way folks can help to make the world a better place?  By stepping outside ourselves long enough to identify the needs of others and help address those with whatever applicable knowledge we might have?