On a recent school day, I unintentionally timed the dog walk to sync with the dismissal of a local school. As I approached the corner of the school, a crossing guard who was talking to one of the parents saw me, grabbed his “Stop” sign, and escorted the dogs and me across the street. “You don’t have to do that for us,” I protested, feeling a little awkward due to the unnecessary attention. “Oh, it’s no problem,” he said. “Everybody needs to be safe, even dogs and their walker. I do this for everybody.”

His care for me and my entourage was sweet, and it reminded me that receiving care is just as important as giving care. I don’t know about you, but I typically prefer to be the one giving care rather than receiving it. But accepting a kindness honors the giver of that kindness, and care needs that reciprocal relationship of giving and receiving. Without both, it can devolve into control, manipulation, or burnout.

I don’t think I ever had a school crossing guard escort me through an intersection when I was a school kid because I always rode the bus. More than 40 years later, I can say it felt good to know someone wanted to show me care and concern. Like the lyrics to the Beatles song, “I get by with a little help from my friends.”