I have a foolproof idea for our community to prosper. It’s so air tight; I’ll back it with a lifetime guarantee.

The resources used to concoct this magical elixir I’m peddling are so cheap, it’s yours for the low, low price of nothing.

Here’s the sales pitch: We all should consider adoption.

I’m not talking about Jay Zornes or Butch Huff going to China adoption (which Zornes is in the process of doing once again as I write). I’m talking about adopting people within our own neighborhoods whom we can assist on a regular basis.

This adoption has no age limit. The person you take under your wing doesn’t have to be a toddler. As a matter of fact, he or she probably won’t be a child … although children will invariably benefit as a side effect of what you do for those who care for them.

The adoption I’m suggesting involves becoming involved in some capacity with others in our community who are in need of some type of assistance that you can provide.

Look around and see if your recognize somebody in need in your own neighborhood.

Maybe your elderly neighbor could benefit from you deciding to mow his or her lawn or shovel the snow from their sidewalk. A destitute mother or father might count you as a blessing if you offer to help them buy groceries to feed their children.

Better yet, maybe you just buy the groceries and surprise them by showing up at their house.

The key to this, from your standpoint, is to decide to do things for others simply because you have the ability … just because you want to. If you do it to be praised by others, you won’t feel the full intensity of the satisfaction.

A great orator named Earl Nightingale made a phenomenal point decades ago in his observation of life entitled, “The Strangest Secret.” Your attitude toward life determines life’s attitude toward you.

Further, his answer to “The Strangest Secret” was so simple even he, after years of dedicating himself to his research about the secret of life, was amazed. His bottom line: “You are what you think about.”

Think about that for a moment: “You are what you think about.” Can you agree that this simple statement is true in your own life?

A desire to help other people minimizes your own problems. As you listen to and assist others, you begin to realize how truly blessed your life has been. And you feel an intense satisfaction that no amount of money could ever replace.

You also get addicted to doing good things for people. You’ll actually crave opportunities to help others.

Essentially, you’ll become a different person with different motives and goals. And you’ll find your focus in life.

The people society discards as worthless are worth as much to God as any single one of us. He doesn’t make mistakes. He grants mercy to the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak.

And according to Scripture, He knows the motive of every heart.

Our community has several groups of hard working people who dedicate themselves to the principle of helping others. See Carol Allen or Jodi Rowe-Collins if you need examples. They know that by giving of themselves, they are ultimately helping themselves by helping those around them prosper.

Imagine if we all did this. Imagine if we all decided to start taking an interest in helping other people. Imagine if our goal each day was to lift somebody else up.

If we do, we’ll all succeed.

That’s a guarantee!

Billy Bruce is a freelance writer who lives in Pedro. He can be contacted at hollandkat3@aol.com.