“No One is Coming to Save You!”
By Shazad
“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own . . .” from Epictetus, Discourses, 2.5.4–5
The title of this post was something I kept reminding myself of and shared with others. It was late 2025 that I realized I could be wrong about this phrase. Or perhaps I needed a more nuanced understanding of what it means to be ‘saved’. I needed to appreciate the small but frequent ways others in society actually do ‘rescue’ me and the rest of us every day! I want to explore this with you and ask you to consider how you can think of your life in the context of the world you live in.
I love and respect the idea that my life is unfolding the way it is because of the decisions I’ve made, the thoughts I have, the self-improvement I am engaged in, and my sincere wish for all of humanity to get better. I know that some things happen purely because of chance or the choices of the many people before me, as well as some around me now. I can’t take 100% credit for things because we live in social groups and are constantly affected by what is happening around us, both the good and the not so good.
If I focus on the good things that have happened to me since childhood, I am in AWE of the kindness of strangers who have done simple things like hold the door for me, give me their spot in a checkout line, or even give me some change when I was short on money to pay for something at the store. No credit card option and no one else to turn to. The many small and sometimes big things other people have done for me over the decades have really changed my life in the moment and sometimes for days after.
The inspirational video or quote from a friend, or the unexpected cash gift from a relative when I least expect it, has given me so much pleasure when I was feeling lost or broke. The kind words of a colleague at work and the open invitation from a friend to mentor and support me through a transition have made all the difference in my world.
Look at your own life and realize how many small, frequent memories from childhood to now come back to you, of times when you were supported and helped by unexpected people in your life. Sometimes you knew them, and other times they were total strangers you met only once and never saw again. Yet the way they picked you up (literally or figuratively) was like the work of a guardian angel visiting you to remind you of God’s Grace operating in your life. How awesome is that?!!!
There is so much kindness, support, and empathy all around us that I no longer believe I can confidently say no one is coming to help or ‘save me’. I still insist that the sum of my life will be largely determined by the daily choices, mindset, and environment I choose, but there’s more to the story. I’m surrounded by many awesome people who have and continue to enter my life at the right time and right place to remind me that heroes exist and that I’m not going through this journey alone or without the gracious blessing of God.
Have An Awesome Day!
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