When someone helps you or tries to help you, what is your reaction? Do you feel grateful? Or do you feel embarrassed? Or resentful because now you feel you might need to return the favor? Maybe you can relate to all of these, depending on what kind of day you are having. I once heard a man say that he hated when someone did something nice for him because then he felt like he owed them something. Hmmmm......
Let's look at service and acts of kindness in a new way. Let's look at what the giver gets out of it. Doing kind things for others makes one feel warm and happy. For example, my sister in law dropped of a huge basket of fruit, vegetables and bread for our family early Saturday morning. It was so fun to open the door and see all that beautiful food on our front porch! When I called to thank her, she told me how much fun she had doing that for us. She calls herself the Fruit and Veggie Fairy. Of course we appreciated the very kind gesture, especially since my husband is temporarily out of work. And it delighted me to hear to her excitement doing something so generous for someone else. I realized that she loved doing that for our family, and if I had said anything other than, 'Thank you', it might have deflated her happiness.
If you have a hard time accepting acts of service from others, and you say things like, "Oh you didn't need to do that" or "I wish you hadn't done that".....stop yourself, and simply say, "Thank you so much". We all need each other and we all have times when we can help others, and times when we need the help. Sometimes within the same week! It's all a big circle of Give and Receive. Beautiful, don't you think?
Let others help you, especially when you feel vulnerable or wounded. Realize that it is your day or time to receive and there will be a day or time when you are a giver. And having said that, be sure that you complete the circle by giving back when you can. It will make you feel warm and happy, just as it did for those who gave to you. It also creates balance in your life.
And that brings me to my last point. What you give to someone else does not have to be the same thing you received. We all have gifts, talents and ways of helping that are unique. You can do things others cannot, and the other way around. Give whatever God blesses you with.....a talent for cooking, a kind listening heart, time to help someone who cannot help themselves, a talent for fixing things....whatever you are good at or whatever you can do. Even making a phone call to cheer someone's day is a lovely act of service and kindness.
I really love that we all have each other and that we are all connected to the same great energy. Let's appreciate and realize our blessings and create some blessings for others.
Love, Michelle
