Great piece, Tommy. Your message today is something I need a cyclical reminder of. For some reason, the world we live in today, as you say, makes it far too tempting to fall into a self-centered routine. I think everyone, or a lot of people, live this way--are working so hard--with the hope that they may eventually be able to divorce themselves via monetary abundance from worldy pressures and "live for others." But it seems, almost always, that no matter how much money they make, they almost never transition wholly to living the life they originally intended . . . And I think that's because they forget "it is a fool who puts off what he'd like to do now in hopes he can do it later." That by working to get wealthy first, they are forming habits--as in, becoming--of a person who serves themselves first and others second. That's not to say we should all relinquish our worldly belongings, but that we should make a habit nnow, today, of serving others.
Thank you for reading Ryan and such an insightful reflection here. I think you're exactly right on the tension between investing in the self to better serve others and being self-centered (which modern self-help seems to encourage and even celebrate).
Appreciate your time and thought here. Beautiful stuff (:
“being devoted to my own happiness which, strangely, makes me miserable and isolated within myself.”
Tommy, this brings to mind the subtle but important distinction of “being of service to ourselves” not in lieu of serving others, but so that we can serve others. Not so that our own happiness is the destination, or the goal - as you point out - it is a paradox that can lead to misery.
But we must also serve ourselves so that we can bring our fully nourished and expanded self to others.
For me, when the balance is out of whack, when I’m under-nourishing myself, I feel depleted at times. And when I’m over serving myself, something feels off - and I feel disconnected from Source.
I think the practice is awareness and continually maintaining an integrity between the external and internal focus of service through time.
This essay was an exquisite expression of that integrity - service to your readers, and I suspect, service to yourself as you wrote it. 👏
Thank you James, for reading and such an insightful reflection here. It means a lot coming from you, as someone with a commitment to service in both work and life. You were an implicit inspiration behind some of my thinking.
I think you're totally right about maintaining that balance. On how we cannot be of service if our saw is dull, like Stephen Covey talks about. I had an entire section written on when to know you've extended yourself too much but decided to cut it in the edits, partially for brevity and partially because I think the current culture skews so far toward entirely serving ourselves that overdoing it doesn't need to enter the conversation yet, if that makes sense.
We are on a similar wavelength Tommy. To learn the joy of giving to others in an un-self-focused way is one of the secret joys of life. Sacrifice is the currency of the kingdom of heaven. And sacrificing my time, energy, focus, money, etc. for the sake of another person is the way to live in that kingdom here and now.
My latest post on Waymarkers explores this from a slightly different angle, but reaches the same conclusion - that real happiness doesn't happen when we are alone, it needs to be part of a shared experience.
Thank you A. A. I appreciate you reading and such a beautiful reflection here.
This will stick with me: "Sacrifice is the currency of the kingdom of heaven." Sacrifice as the embodied act that pulls the kingdom of heaven down to earth. I think that's true.
Thank you for being here & all the support for my work (:
So well put, Tommy. Self-centeredness is most often without joy! The times I have served others, I always have felt a peaceful calm. It would be a real world changer if everyone did it. As this year is ending, this message is a wonderful kick-off for the new year ahead. Thank you.
Great piece, Tommy. Your message today is something I need a cyclical reminder of. For some reason, the world we live in today, as you say, makes it far too tempting to fall into a self-centered routine. I think everyone, or a lot of people, live this way--are working so hard--with the hope that they may eventually be able to divorce themselves via monetary abundance from worldy pressures and "live for others." But it seems, almost always, that no matter how much money they make, they almost never transition wholly to living the life they originally intended . . . And I think that's because they forget "it is a fool who puts off what he'd like to do now in hopes he can do it later." That by working to get wealthy first, they are forming habits--as in, becoming--of a person who serves themselves first and others second. That's not to say we should all relinquish our worldly belongings, but that we should make a habit nnow, today, of serving others.
Thank you for reading Ryan and such an insightful reflection here. I think you're exactly right on the tension between investing in the self to better serve others and being self-centered (which modern self-help seems to encourage and even celebrate).
Appreciate your time and thought here. Beautiful stuff (:
Absolutely, and likewise!
“being devoted to my own happiness which, strangely, makes me miserable and isolated within myself.”
Tommy, this brings to mind the subtle but important distinction of “being of service to ourselves” not in lieu of serving others, but so that we can serve others. Not so that our own happiness is the destination, or the goal - as you point out - it is a paradox that can lead to misery.
But we must also serve ourselves so that we can bring our fully nourished and expanded self to others.
For me, when the balance is out of whack, when I’m under-nourishing myself, I feel depleted at times. And when I’m over serving myself, something feels off - and I feel disconnected from Source.
I think the practice is awareness and continually maintaining an integrity between the external and internal focus of service through time.
This essay was an exquisite expression of that integrity - service to your readers, and I suspect, service to yourself as you wrote it. 👏
Thank you James, for reading and such an insightful reflection here. It means a lot coming from you, as someone with a commitment to service in both work and life. You were an implicit inspiration behind some of my thinking.
I think you're totally right about maintaining that balance. On how we cannot be of service if our saw is dull, like Stephen Covey talks about. I had an entire section written on when to know you've extended yourself too much but decided to cut it in the edits, partially for brevity and partially because I think the current culture skews so far toward entirely serving ourselves that overdoing it doesn't need to enter the conversation yet, if that makes sense.
Tommy, I appreciate the nod, re: inspiration. Being of service is a (if not the) source of joy.
And congrats on cutting what you did. Not because it wasn’t worthy (I’m sure it was) but because it takes courage to cut.
We are on a similar wavelength Tommy. To learn the joy of giving to others in an un-self-focused way is one of the secret joys of life. Sacrifice is the currency of the kingdom of heaven. And sacrificing my time, energy, focus, money, etc. for the sake of another person is the way to live in that kingdom here and now.
My latest post on Waymarkers explores this from a slightly different angle, but reaches the same conclusion - that real happiness doesn't happen when we are alone, it needs to be part of a shared experience.
Thank you A. A. I appreciate you reading and such a beautiful reflection here.
This will stick with me: "Sacrifice is the currency of the kingdom of heaven." Sacrifice as the embodied act that pulls the kingdom of heaven down to earth. I think that's true.
Thank you for being here & all the support for my work (:
So well put, Tommy. Self-centeredness is most often without joy! The times I have served others, I always have felt a peaceful calm. It would be a real world changer if everyone did it. As this year is ending, this message is a wonderful kick-off for the new year ahead. Thank you.
Ah I love that Monica. Thank you for your time and words here. A peaceful calm is a perfect way of putting it.
Exquisite
Thank you Donna (: appreciate you reading
I presume you've heard the Bob Dylan song, "Gotta serve somebody."? If not, it's worth looking up.
I haven't Rick! Haha sounds like some prerequisite listening. Will check it out.
Hope you're keeping well & have a lovely holiday season (:
You'l enjoy it I'm sure. Happy holidays to you as well.
Been looking forward to reading this my whole shift!
Thanks Megan (:
Ah that's gorgeous Svana. Thank you for reading & such a lovely reflection here (: