Selfishness!

29 Nov 2013

Selfishness!

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Selfishness – devoted to or caring only for oneself; concerned primarily with one’s own interests, benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others.

We struggle with why there is so much pain in the world?  Why do people hurt us?  Why do we hurt others?

So often it stems from selfishness.  What we want is the most important thing.  We deserve it.  We should have it.  It isn’t fair that someone else has more than we do.  If we just had more or something different we’d be happy.  I deserve to be happy and no one has the right to keep me from what I want.  Unfortunately, acting out of selfishness will never make us “happy”.  The “happiness” it brings is only temporary.  It’s an illusion that traps us.  We will never experience true happiness at the cost of another.

It’s time we take a look at ourselves and the decisions we make.  Nearly every one of the negative parts of our lives can be traced to one thing in one form or another… selfishness!  It may be our own selfishness or the selfishness of another.

Why do we want, want, want…?  It isn’t only about money and material things.  It can be about what we do with our time.  Do we share it with others or do we make it all about ourselves?  What about our family?  Do we want to keep them to ourselves or share them with others?  Many of us, myself included,  come from broken families where there are step parents, ex spouses, extended families and friends.  We need to “share” our loved ones.  By being selfish we put what we want in front of the welfare of others.

This carries over into our careers, relationships and families.  There is nothing wrong with wanting something or doing things for ourselves.  However, when we lose perspective of its “importance” we need to look a long hard honest look at ourselves.  Why is it that we want something so much?  Is it really important?  Whom are we going to hurt?  Where can we give to others?  How can we treat others the way we want to be treated?  What can we do to share a little happiness?

If we looked at others and put them in front of our own desires how different would the world be?  The world, our country, our cities and our families would be so different.  If we would simply take selfishness and turn it upside down and instead practice “excessive giving”, what a world we would have!

Put selfishness in the trash bin where it belongs!  Begin a movement of “excessive giving”.  We all have something we can give or share with others:  it may be as simply as a kind word; perhaps it is money, our time, our talents or some small random act of kindness.  Whatever it is, we all have the ability to “give excessively”.  So, let’s do it and change our lives!

“The wise man does not lay up his own treasures. The more he gives to others, the more he has for his own.
” Lao Tzu

You’re Not Alone!

Tim