Why Asking For Help Is Essential…Dear God…

Dear God, 

It’s me again. 

Can we talk?

They say you don’t give us more than we can handle. 

I hope this is true because lately, it feels like a lot.

I know it’s not just me. I sense it in others.

Do you see it, too? 

If you do, can you help?

I get it. 

Adversity is the foundation of growth. 

And this is a magical time to be alive. 

But some days…

Some months…

Do you ever doubt our strength to endure?

When I was with Dad in the hospital this month, we talked about sports a lot because that’s what we do. He’s home now, as you know.

We reflected on “The Comeback” game between his beloved Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers. The Bills were down by 32 points in the 3rd quarter and found a way to come back.

I know many feel like they’re down by more than 32 points as we head into halftime of 2025, and the playing field is more uneven.

Do you sense it, too?

People have told me that you were looking out for me, but I never believed them. You were just another example of when I needed help, and nobody came.​ So, I learned to soldier on with my heavy backpack.

I’m grateful that I no longer feel this way. I see asking for help differently now. 

Speaking of backpacks, do you see how heavy they are today? If you do, can you help? 

Many need it.

Well, except for those at the Bezos wedding in Venice. I read somewhere that the wealth of the top 1% has more than doubled ($44 trillion) in the last twenty years. It’s enough to eradicate poverty twenty-two times over.

What are we doing? 

For real, what the hell are we doing?

Whoops, sorry. I didn’t mean to get salty. 

But come on, don’t you think the wealth gap is bananas?

Okay, where was I?

God, we’re only halfway done with this year.

Please help us find the strength to keep pedaling. 

Please help us see we are better together.

Please encourage us to ask for help.

We’re carrying so much. 

You can tell, right?

However, what I’ve found is that when we can stay in the moment, we may still worry or grieve, but there’s always space for gratitude and love.

Would you agree?

And God, we need your help to see what we’ve pushed down, calloused over or turned away from. We need a little boost to recognize that what’s inside us is the key to a resilient comeback and a better tomorrow for all of us.

Can you help us with this?

As always, thanks for listening. Please say hello to Mother Earth and the Universe, who also fill up my M.U.G. 

And if you’re open to it, I hope we can talk again in a few weeks. I might need your help as I empty some rocks from my backpack.​

Until next time, may we have the strength to endure as we have fun storming the castle! 

Michael

P.S. July is one of my favorite months. We have the 4th, and I celebrate the 24th anniversary of My Last Bad Day. My wife and I had our first date on Bastille Day, and our attention turns to the roads of France.

To celebrate, I’m giving away free copies of my memoir, Shift: Creating Better Tomorrows, between now and July 11th. 

But there’s a catch. It’s a gift for somebody else you know. 

If you know someone who needs inspiration and motivation to keep pedaling, please respond to this email with their name and address, and I will send them a free, autographed copy.

P.S.S. Last week’s episodes of Whole Again are all about asking for help. You can listen wherever you get your podcasts and the other Dear God posts can be found on my website, www.michaelobrienshift.com. 

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