Two recent experiences have reminded me of the truth of this saying, although I often hear it phrased a little differently, such as "many hands make the load light."

So, in addition to wanting to find the right words, I thought I should also find out who said them. It seems to be loosely linked to various sources, including an African proverb, but is often attributed to John Heywood, a playwright, musician, and collector of proverbs and icons. 16th century.

The superficial meaning is simple: the more people who help, the faster and easier a great job can be completed. Of course, this is generally true, as long as these hands work well together.

But in many cases it's more than just division of work. It is a question of spirituality. If you know that you are not alone in tackling a difficult task, if you have both help and companionship, you will feel like a burden has been lifted from you. It is often easier and more pleasant to work together, both by sharing the workload and by sharing its implementation.

And if the company is good, and there is goodwill among people, it can be more like a game than a job. Plus, you feel less alone, no matter what task at hand.

I have had two recent experiences that contribute to the extended interpretation of these words.

At first, my parents came to town both to visit me and to help me with a particularly difficult task that I could not manage on my own.

I need a new blackout curtain installed in my bedroom - a task well beyond the reach of this very handy person. And since I live in a seaside town that seems to like moisture and mold, and the old window coverings didn't really let me get the air out of the room, I had another problem. A layer of black mold has begun to creep on the windows and especially on the drywall that surrounds them.

Cleaning is also not my specialty, and mold scares me a bit. So we had to kill the mold, clean the black stains on the walls, wash the windows and install roller blinds. My dad knew how to install the blind and the three of us worked together, with a little advice from the local Miner's Hardware, to solve the rest of the problem.

Well, it was done in an afternoon, and while it wasn't the most enjoyable holiday activity we've ever enjoyed, we managed to have a pleasant visit and be pleased with it. Work.

It's a relief to know that help is coming and that they care enough about me to do it. I felt my shoulders weigh even more once the job was done, and then I had the tools and confidence needed to take on the small tasks on my own.

So many hands, many skills, a sense of less loneliness and love, all made this experience better. It is more hands but also more, making the work lighter.

The same thing happened soon after when I and some of my friends at our place of worship did some weeding and cleaning in the garden. It's been a great day outdoors, and I don't mind gardening, even enjoying it, if I don't have to do it all the time. And everyone is a friend that I really like at the company.

In addition to our hands and pleasant demeanor, each of us has something to share that makes work easier. Some bring garbage bags or buckets