The Dallas Foreclosure Angel: The Beatles Had It Right--We'll Get By With a Little Help from Our Friends and Even from Strangers

Money on Monday: With a little help from our friends and even strangers we'll get by.

Tracy Orr lost her modest family home in Texas, when she couldn't keep up with the mortgage.

She planned to go to the foreclosure auction with a friend hoping to save  it. Her friend didn't show, but she went anyway. And that is where her foreclosure angel Marilyn Mock appeared.

Mock had hoped to find a house for her son, but when she saw Orr crying in despair, instead she bought Orr's house and promised that she could move right back in. Orr's tears of despair changed to tears of joy and disbelief. Read story

I am so heartened by this Boomer's compassion and care for another in trouble.

It's been hard to hold on to any kind of big spiritedness in the past number of years with its climate of fear and mean spiritedness. Some months ago I suggested that those who had enough money to buy foreclosures let others live in the houses for a modest rent. But Mock has gone one better by making it possible for the original owner to move back in.

When I first heard about the story this morning, I started hearing the the Beatles refrain "I Get By with a Little Help from My Friends" in my mind. And I started thinking  how I learned as a child that a stranger was just a friend you didn't yet know. Marilyn Mock said she expects that she and Tracy will be good friends and that people need to help each other. I am hoping that we come through this national time of crisis like Marilyn Mock with the spirit to go beyond ourselves and help each other.

Often people repeat an incorrect translation of  Risis/Weiji to  mean within crisis there is danger and opportunity.

But a more accurate translation is that a crisis is an opportune pivot. 

I think Mock showed us today that a moment of crisis for Tracy Orr became her opportune pivotal moment. Isn't this being truly rich?

Comments

[Virginia]

Well, did you see the CNN story today in which the soon to be evicted home owner chained herself to the porch post?

In two ways people are starting to fight back: compassionately helping with the purchase and direct opposition...a bit of Ghandi and Malcome X (one of my other heros!)

WE need to fight. I have been so troubled in the past recent years at the passivity that the Bush Et Al fearmongering has produced. It is certainly time for us to fight back. If we are so lucky to have President Obama, we can begin to climb out of the bunker/hunker postiion that has been encouraged.

Get out there and take action. Thanks for your great feedback.

[M]

Great story, although it's sad that the situation had to occur in the first place. I'm sure it will repeat many, many times over the next few months. Let's hope at least a few of them have such happy endings. :-)