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Home / Thoughts / Sean's Thoughts / Helping one another

Helping one another

Written by Sean on Sunday, November 13, 2005

I joined a mailing list for those who "Need to be paralysed". I didn’t stay long because, as usual, the discussion went nowhere fast. I would like a feeling of friendship and helping one another, rather than that of argument that is so often found on such lists. But that’s another story. I discovered Sophie had also joined the list. She told me a few days ago that someone from that list had offered to help her get her wish.

On the surface, this offer to help is fantastic. Perhaps I’m too cynical, but I can’t help wonder what the underlying motives for that offer are. Perhaps my point of view is tainted by a little bit of envy, but I don’t think so. The fact is, I’ve been active to one level or another in this "community" of ours since early 1994. That’s over a decade! And in all this time, I never had anyone offer assistance! Ok, Sophie is a young woman, and I’m just a guy that’s not getting any younger. Is that the reason such offer for assistance was made to her, within barely a handful of emails of joining a list? I honestly don’t know.

Of course, I’ll admit that if this person were to offer me assistance, I’m not sure I’d take it. As much as I want/need this paralysis, I’m weary of forging ahead, getting assistance from someone I don’t know, that I’ve never met, that I only exchanged a few emails with (and no, I haven’t emailed this person). What if the person’s a "psycho" and will end up kidnapping you, doing more damage than you asked for, or kill you? One never knows with these things, particularly on the internet. Relinquishing control to the level required for someone else to injure you means that you are giving up pretty much ALL powers, and are risking nothing short of your life.

So, yeah, I’d like someone to help me become a para. But I’m picky. For similar reasons that I don’t want to risk getting a high C injury, or a TBI, I am unsure that giving control over your life to someone you barely know is all that wise. But the question is, why was help offered so quickly, no questions asked, to a cute young woman that hasn’t been around much at all, when no one ever offered help to a not cute, not young, not woman, kinda person? Hmmmm.

Were I Sophie, I’d be very careful. Indeed.