I’m in my car driving back at night with my window open and stop at a red light. A man parked with his blinkers, outside the car shouts out “Are You Alright Pal?” I think he’s talking to me. I wave to say yes I’m OK. But then I notice a man sitting on the curb. He shout’s back “I’m Ok. I’m just stuck!” I didn’t know what he meant by stuck. I saw the other guy taking care of him. The light turned green and I zoomed away.

I reminisced about another incident that occurred that day. I saw an old African American woman, walking on the street with her grocery carriage. She was leaned over it and stopped for a short while. I was in my car. I stared to see if she was OK. She seemed alright. But who knows, perhaps I should have stopped to see if she was alright.

Today, we have many opportunities to help others. The question I ask is “are we doing enough to help others?” Thinking and helping out our fellow is the basis of the Torah – VeAhavta LeReacha Kamokha – “Love Your Fellow as Yourself.”

You can see the Bigness of a person, by the amount and quality of help they provide for people in need. And vice versa. Are we helping only when convenient or when not? Are we helping when people reach out to us or do we reach out to others to help?

The closer the person is to us the more responsibility we have to help and do kindness. Are we doing enough to help others?

Make that phone call to see how others are doing. Answer your old friend’s phone calls. Observe your surroundings to see what others need and do what you can to help. Little by little – you become bigger and a giver. In turn – you get more meaning and become a happier person. But don’t neglect the one closest to you – Yourself.