Special Non-Profit Sundays

Let me tell you a story. It’s about my younger brother, whose life was saved when he was just a year old by a small miracle.

My family had goen to Ocean City in Maryland, just a few hours away from where we lived. I remember that it was a little colder than usual, because we’d gone really early in the season for some reason. The water was choppy, so we weren’t able to go near the water without a parent right beside us.

Generally, we weren’t allowed in the water by ourselves, or without specific supervision. But this time we weren’t even allowed to approach the shoreline, and played back further from the beach than usual.

I didn’t care. I was obsessed with collecting sea shells.

My mother passed by me, holding my brother’s hand. He was trying to wriggle free, and even though it was wet, she still had him. My mom was always really good with us, wanting to protect us, but also giving us the freedom to explore the world.

She finally let go of his hand when they were safely away from the water, and he went to sit with the rest of the family.

A few minutes later, I was still collecting my shells, and I noticed a shape floating past me in the water. I had no idea what it was at first, but when I looked closer, I realized that it was a little kid – it looked to me like a girl less than a year old. I reached out and grabbed what I hoped was its ankle. She was face-down and not moving, so I wasn’t sure if she was alive. I couldn’t swim and she was heavy – if she pulled me further out into the water, we were both goners.

But I just said a little prayer and dug my heels further into the sand that was being pulled away as the tide moved out under my feet.

The water moved away and my mother ran up to my side and lifted up the small child. By now I’m sure you guessed, this was my brother.

I love my brother to pieces like I love all my siblings. Each of my brothers and sisters and I have special ties. This incident was the foundation of my special bond with my younger brother.

When people ask me about this incident, I say that hey, I was nine years old. I thought I was helping a stranger I didn’t know, and that’s what you’re supposed to do – save your fellow man from drowning when you’re on firm(er) ground.

I didn’t save his life on purpose – in fact I don’t believe that I was the one who saved him. I just believe that I was placed there, in the path of a miracle, and it just moved through my body to do its work.

So this Non-Profit Sunday, what I have to ask for you is this: help some stranger, someone you haven’t met before, for no reason, completely at random. Do your act of kindness every day – if you can’t help physically, send them a silent, good thought. Turn it into a habit – maybe one day you’ll be blessed to find that the random stranger you’re helping is actually your brother….