Last month, southern California resembled the fourth inner circle of hell like in Dante's "Inferno." The fires seemed to be eating million dollar homes left and right, the earth was scorched - just awful stuff. Right when the fires were at their worst, I hopped on a plane and went right into the thick of it. I was speaking at UC-Riverside and, frankly, I was wondering whether or not the program would even happen. I mean, it's kinda hard to keep an audience's attention when the building is burning around them!

Thankfully, the fires were kept at bay and all went on as planned. While visiting with the UCR students and my client, Doug Everhart, I learned of one of those stories that just warms your heart (but in a strictly non-flammable way).

While citizens of San Diego were being evacuated at an alarming rate, an exclusive resort on the beach felt the pain of the community. The problem? Neighbors had no place to stay. A solution? The resort had rooms available. But then, in a showing of humanitarianism, the resort slashed their prices from $500 per night to $100 per night - just enough to cover their costs. This resort was doing what they could to help out in a time of need - truly helping those affected by the situation.

A week later, I was in Miami, Florida speaking for a church pastored by my brother-in-law and sister-in-law. Steve and Mary Alessi have been staples in their community for nearly 20 years - a time which also includes the 1992 disaster known as Hurricane Andrew. Over some of the best Cuban food I've ever had, I was impressed and inspired by Mary's stories of recovery after Andrew.

She said, "It created this whole new system of doing things - well, really revived a very old way! For example, we had a friend who is an electrician. The gas stations could run on generators, but they needed an electrician to hook them up. Our friend would do the job, and would barter for free gas to run the generator at the church. That way, we could remain one of the shelters with ice and fresh water and air conditioning."

She told dozens of stories of families who'd lost everything, but due to the communal spirit that seems to shine in times of trouble, they made it through and were stronger in the process.

Crisis hits us all, sooner or later. When the bad stuff hits the fan, you really see what someone's true colors are. When big problems arise, it seems there are two kinds of people:

Those who run and hide, choosing to save their own skin
and
Those who stand up in the face of adversity and cultivate something positive

It seems like such a cliché - but the truth is, every day we have the opportunity to assist someone else during their time of need. We don't have to wait for the next earthquake or tsunami. But, to someone in the midst of their own trouble, the issue at hand may very well feel as big as a crisis.

Think about the elderly gentleman in the grocery store who is having trouble reaching the can of soup on the top shelf. Diminished capacity to perform daily tasks is one of the scariest things about growing old.

Remember being a new teenage driver, stuck along the side of the road with a flat? Talk about feeling hopeless!

Or what about the lonely relative who really needs a phone call and someone to chat with? Loneliness is one of the worst emotions a human being can feel.

When crisis hits do you head for the hills? Or, do you head into the fray and try to help? More importantly than what you did in the past is... what will you do the next time?

Now, just a week before Thanksgiving, I'm touched with gratefulness for all those who do their best to better this world in which we live. Those are the people I'm truly thankful for - and those are the folks we should recognize at this time - and all year long.