Why I love hOURS

By Felicia Graham

I like helping people. I would help you work on your house or baby-sit your kids or watch your pets while you are away, just because I like being nice. I also like spending time with people. While we drywall your basement we would talk about our lives and favorite movies and books. I find people fascinating and love new ideas for things to read or ways of looking at an issue.

And then I get something in return – wowza!

I notice that folks are putting down big, complicated stuff that they need. Like roofing, electrician work etc. I think one of the great things about hOURS is that it allows us to pamper ourselves. I know we are all capable of cleaning our houses and cooking food, but what could you do with that time if someone else took care of that this weekend? When I realized that Fred was going to be doing hOURS stuff one weekend, I thought about what I would like to do with that time. I thought of pampering myself with a pedicure and manicure. But I don’t really relish paying $50+ and spending time in a frou-frou salon with lots of chemical smells and catty female chitchat.

And then it hit me. I can give pedicures and manicures (along with a nice foot and/or hand massage). That’s what we should be doing for each other. Helping each other out with more-than-one-person or specialty jobs, but also the little things. Pampering with a nice manicure. Baking lasagna for someone’s dinner while they catch up on their magazines. Clean someone’s house so they can spend the day in the park playing ball with their favorite young people.

hOURS may have started as a way for poor people to obtain the things they needed, but it is also a way for us to savor life as well. Spending time with others and especially letting others help us builds community. Luxuriating in the free time while someone else cleans your kitchen or reveling in a tension relieving foot massage reaffirms our specialness as individuals.

So think about it. Let someone else deal with dinner tonight. Let someone else chase your dust bunnies around. Pamper yourself. Let’s use hOURS to add more enjoyment to our lives.