Unfortunately, bad things happen to good people all the time. And it's terrible, and it sucks. But the true measure of any community is in how it comes together and puts the effort in to help each other get through even the worst.
In another life, I used to have a coworker who was always eager to take work off your desk if she saw that you had too much piling up. "Many hands make light work," she'd say and wave cheerfully, and it was extra hilarious because she sounded quite a bit like Dexter from Dexter's Laboratory. But I digress.
She was amazing, and her helpful spirit was just part of who she was. And although I don't know the man personally, it seems like international enduro hero Pol Tarrés is that kind of person, too.
If you follow him on Instagram, you've probably seen plenty of videos of some of the amazing things he's done in the saddle of a bike, usually a T7. But he posts other things there too, and right now, he's in Valencia with a team of friends, just helping pull people's cars out of the mud and devastation left in the wake of the unprecedented flooding in the region.
Where some people would post stuff like this just to generate likes and shares and heighten their social media profiles, he's in his comments actively discouraging that kind of behavior. Instead, he's volunteering his services to help anyone in the affected areas who needs it, inviting them to DM him or drop a comment telling him what's going on and where to go to help.
That's it. It's that simple. He just sees a way he can help, so he's out there helping. And it doesn't matter that he's an international superstar (well, maybe except to get attention on the situation, I suppose); it matters that it's the right thing to do. That people need help, and he's helping them.
That's the kind of energy we need, both right now and really always. Find ways to help those who need it, and you'll never go wrong. Will you feel good about yourself? Sure, but so will the people you help. It's a win all around. In ways big and small, on bikes or other powersports equipment or not, let's all look for ways we can help out.
