Same Phone Call Every Week

I am depressed, stressed, anxious, she said. I advised her to help someone else. There is no better way to lighten your load She claimed it would not work Without trying it I had no time left to listen to her whining I had children to play with, and lunch to cook. Get a dog or a cat, I advised her. Get outside of yourself. She tried to moan more at me, but I had given her my best shot And she had no other people to call, For she has alienated everyone else who ever knew her Every week the same phone call, like a broken record. Each time I give her ideas about what she could do to help others. Volunteer at a grade school, read a story to someone who is vision impaired, Take a meal to someone who just had surgery It wouldn’t work, she always says Because she does not know that it always does But I do, which is why I keep calling her, trying to lighten her load Also it is a reminder to me that life is good, As long as I am helping others, and feel I have purpose I will never stop trying to help her Because when I help her, I help myself Every time she says I am so glad I have you, it uplifts me and puts a little extra zing in my step.