My wife of 53 years passed away in November 2022. Not only did I grieve, but I also went into depression. On top of that, I have PTSD from serving in Vietnam.
It was a tough time for me. I’m 76 and found myself just sitting around the house. I was sinking deeper into depression. I knew I had to do something about it.
I reflected on what my mom drilled into me as a kid. I was raised going to church and the Christian doctrine of helping others was underscored to me time and again. She always told me loving and helping others is something the Lord wants us to do, so I thought I’d give it a try.
I’ve always been pretty handy. I worked in construction for 60 years, starting when I was 16. I liked watching what others do and learning how to fix things. And one thing that always made my wife happy was me taking care of her “honey-do” list.
So last September, I thought it’d be good for me to keep busy by helping other people. I posted something on our Facebook Community page, saying I’d help single women with the “honey do’s” they couldn’t do. I know many widows couldn’t afford a handyman, so I said I’d do the work for free.
The first time I posted it, I got 800 likes. But not many takers. People were reluctant to trust me, to have a stranger in their house. I certainly understood that.
But one lady I knew needed some work, and I went over and took care of all the items on her honey-do list. I did things like install a toilet and put up a ceiling fan. I took before and after pictures and posted them on Facebook, just to let people see my work. That’s when the requests started to pour in.
And I’ve been very busy ever since.
I’ve now helped over 100 ladies with their honey-do lists. All for free. Some give me money, but I just use that to buy materials for future jobs. Some give me food which I gladly eat!
It has certainly helped my depression. As long as I’m busy, I’m not sitting around getting sad, thinking about losing my wife.
The Christian ideal of loving and helping your neighbor sure has turned out to be a huge blessing to me.
2 Comments
Gay Dahl
May 14, 2024 at 12:25 pmMy Dad died when I was 3 and I grew up watching my Mother struggle with honey-do items. It was so sad to see her struggle. Thank you for blessing those who are hopeless and giving them hope! Such a blessing! Your wife and your Heavenly Father are so proud of you! 💕
Pam
May 20, 2024 at 7:38 amWhat a true blessing you are, to see light and hope for others through your grief. I know your Mama and your wife are so proud of you. I pray that God gives you light in your heart too through what you are doing!