Do Your Little Bit of Good Where You Are

Everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle

John P. Weiss
Personal Growth
Published in
7 min readOct 12, 2024

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Photos by John P. Weiss

Just as my wife and I pulled into the garage after a shopping trip we noticed our neighbor Chuck strolling outside with his dog.

“Hi Chuck, how are you doing?” I said.

“I’m fine, John, thanks for asking,” Chuck said. Then he waved and continued down the street.

I don’t know Chuck well, as he lives a few blocks away, but we often chat during our respective dog walks. He tells me about his ailing wife, whose Alzheimer’s disease enshrouds her in a fog of confusion and darkness. And sympathetically, I share memories of my late father’s descent into dementia.

My wife and I closed the garage door, lugged in our groceries, and put everything away.

“You know, I think I’ll follow Chuck’s lead and take Nanuk for a walk,” I said.

“Have fun,” my wife said.

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle

Dogs are wonderful companions not just because of their unconditional love and loyalty, but also because they get us off our couches.

I wanted to follow Chuck’s lead and take our dog Nanuk for a walk, but another part of me was drawn to…

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John P. Weiss
Personal Growth

I write elegant, thoughtful stories and essays about life, often illustrated with my classic black and white photography.