Helping others always helps you too.

Some time ago, I was going through a really tough time, feeling incredibly sad. The pain was so intense, I cried a lot, even though I couldn't pinpoint exactly why. It felt like all the sadness I'd ever held inside was hitting me at once, and I couldn't think straight.

I found myself praying, asking God to help me feel better and show me what to do. A few moments later, my phone rang. It was a close friend.

'Rey, I'm so glad you answered. I need to talk to you. I'm feeling really down, and your name popped into my head when I was praying,' she said.

'What's wrong?' I asked.

We talked for about 40 minutes. I tried my best to listen and offer helpful advice. When we hung up, she thanked me, saying she felt much better. A few minutes later, my sadness returned. I looked up, as if searching for God, and said, 'God, are you having trouble hearing me? I asked for comfort, and you sent someone for me to comfort. What about me?'

I started praying again, this time trying to be very clear about what I wanted. But then, my phone rang again. It was another good friend I hadn't talked to in a while.

'Hey Rey, how are you? I've been missing you. How's everything going?' he asked.

'I'm having a few problems,' I said, hoping I'd get a chance to talk about them. But he immediately started talking about his own troubles.

We talked for almost an hour. I realized his problems were similar to mine. After our conversation, he thanked me, saying I'd helped him see things differently and that he felt better. We said goodbye.

When I hung up, something changed. My pain was still there, but it felt different. I realized the phone calls were the answer to my prayer. I was so focused on my own pain, it was like my world had shrunk. But when I helped my friends, I stopped focusing on myself, and my world felt bigger again. It wasn't just about me anymore.

Helping others always helps you too.