I used to do things for others; for me, it was every day. I didn’t think twice about giving and doing for others. I did this for a very long time, and it isn’t that I regret serving or being of service to others because I think for me it is a part of who I am. I used to offer my services way before anyone would ever ask me for help. But there came a point in my life that I started to feel abused and used up; so I made a conscious effort to stop offering my service because I wasn’t in reality feeling appreciated for what I did for people. Now this is my own emotional issues and things I’m working though, but it is still very much important to feel wanted and feel appreciated.
I noticed when I stopped offering, and stopped coming to peoples aid constantly that many became offended, and hurt by this. I also became very aware that my service was at points in my life were not reciprocated.
Now there is a universal law of give and take and when one or the other is out of balance somewhere along the line things start to fall apart, and I began to realize that I needed to help myself as much as I needed to be of service to others.
A quote from Audrey Hepburn says it best, “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and one for helping others.”
I find that quote beautiful and right on; a helping hand to you without guilt and shame and feeling selfish, and another helping hand to service of others without resentments and remorse but with a loving heart. My mother used to tell me when I was a little girl that she spelled my name with a K, to remind me that K was also the beginning letter for kindness so the first letter of my name also meant kindness. It is a good day when I can be kind to others, and now learning to be kind to me.
That is my words for today. Serve lovingly you and then to others for in the process of giving and loving; you and I will have joy.