You may know this universal truth as "Like attracts like" or "What goes round come around" or "All that I give, I give to myself". This statement, in its various forms is the one I have stubbed my toe on from time to time. It is the one I remind myself to absorb, so I can stay on course for inner peace.
If I want love in my life, love is what I must give, and not just to the object of my affection - to all people.
If I want others to be honest and trustworthy with me, I need to be scrupulously honest and trustworthy with everyone.
If I want support for my ideas, I need to support others in their dreams...encourage them to be the best they can be.
If I want people to be generous with their money, time and affection, I need to give generously in these areas myself.
I am learning to do none of these actions with the thought of return or reward. This would be an attempt at blackmailing my soul.
I think the Universe is not as picky as I am. It receives the messages that I am kind, caring, loving, happy, considerate and generous human being and decides I only want people like that in my life too.
I have noticed, over a period of time, as I practise this enthralling mastery of myself, that the people I once thought important could now seem shallow and petty. Others, who dwelt on the border of my life and seemed not to share my attitudes, slowly gained in credibility and interest to me.
One day I looked at my former colleagues and friends and realised either they had changed, or that I had. I found there were plenty of others walking my new path. I was not alone.
I have learnt to look critically at the things that annoy me in relationships, at work and at home. These are the issues I haven't learnt to deal with yet!
Celebrating a birthday at my house with my closest friends - November 2008
21 comments:
I like these ideas in theory. But in real life, I don't feel they work for me.
I feel with certain people I give and DON'T get back. Mostly this is with honesty and being supportive.
I'm a VERY honest person--almost to a compulsive degree sometimes. I have people in my life who are not honest. My being truthful doesn't make them more honest. I wish it did.
As for being supportive, I feel like this is a one way street a lot of the times. I wish I could just let it go--support them without wanting/expecting anything in return. But I end up feeling resentful after awhile.
I guess I see things differently though. Instead of thinking my honesty will bring me honest people...or my being supportive will attract supportive people.....
I think being hurt by dishonest people pushes me to be more honest. I know how lying can hurt. And having unsupportive people in my life pushes me to be more supportive. I know what it's like to feel ignored and unappreciated.
Hi Peggy :) Lovely and thought provoking post. I have found this to be very true in my life. The more I love, the more I give, the more of everything, it comes back in leaps and bounds. It is not something that is always immediate, but I've learned to be patient. If I'm doing what I know is right in my heart, my soul, no matter how others come at me, I feel good inside. I know I'm doing what, I believe, "God" calls me to do. I think when you are living life in a positive and loving way when the bad stuff comes at you, it just doesn't get to you as much. I often find myself thinking, gee, this person needs more love and they would act nicer. Living this way leaves more room in my heart to be gracious to others. For me, it works. I think it's the only way to be. If I die tomorrow, I know I've done my best to be my best :)
Love your music today too :)
Always a treasure to visit you :)
Have a Wonderful Day!
You left one out. :-)
You have to like/love yourself before others will like/love who you are.
I have to agree. I have found that overall, the measure of life I receive is based on the measure I have given. Not everyone to whom I give will return in like kind, but those that do, more than make up the difference.
My father said, of being taken advantage of, that he would rather be taken from time to time than to be cynical of everyone.
For all of our commonalities, TJ and I have one big difference. I trust most everyone until they give me a reason not to trust them. She doesnt trust anyone until they give her a reason to trust them. However, it works for both of us. And it evens out in the end.
Although she said she strangely trusted me from the moment she met me .. go figure
How do you manage to always have such thought provoking posts?
Very true indeed.
I agree completely with you Peggy.
And as my own awareness and giving has grown so has my life.
Many blessings to you my friend.
It sounds like you have traveled far in your journey! It's nice to achieve an awareness that helps you "see" people in a new light (sometimes better for them, sometimes not). And I like Annemarie's addition! How true is that.
Roban
You've won my "Playlist of the Day" contest. That means... that I leave your site up, so I can listen to your playlist while I'm piddling around in the house. (Quite an honor!)
Hugs,
Happy Birthday, my darlng lady.
BTW, how did your trip go with Anne Marie?
(left a comment on one of your posts below also..the one of you on the mountains. awesome!)
I find this so true. It took me awhile to figure this out...lol. Thankfully I follow this golden rule: "Treat others as you wish to be treated." You are right on about "blackmailing the soul." When we give, it should be done through love...not expecting to be rewarded. If we expect to get something in return...was it even given from a place of true compassion and love...or ego and selfishness?
Bizarre!! I came to write you about the FK pics but I found with this post we are so thinking on the same wavelength!I think it gets a bit confused though if you are an obligated giver by profession...I also think certain types of us are more caring and compassionate and will draw troubled souls that way...
p.s you are scorpio?
p.p.s i really love this african header pic!! stop changing them so quickly so I have more time to admire!!!
btw the block prints are pretty cool- I don't recognise the otherone as FK but the bird eyebrows one is a pretty good reproduction!!!
Great post Peggy. As I was reading I was thinking just what you said in your last point. The idea that the faults we find in others are the faults we have ourselves. Can I add something else into the mix? What about the idea that people we have around us are like mirrors, reflecting aspects of ourselves since we have drawn them to us. Also another quote from the Dalai lama (I think) "Our enemies are some of our greatest teachers".
Thank you so much for your wise interesting words guys.
I especially love when you have a different point of view or add something new into the mix.
Dina - I know where you are coming from that is why I put in the paragraph "One day I looked at my former colleagues and friends and realised either they had changed, or that I had. I found there were plenty of others walking my new path. I was not alone".
Kelly - AMEN girl! I totally agree that "it comes back in leaps and bounds. It is not something that is always immediate, but I've learned to be patient". Patience is definitely the key. All good things come to those who wait!
Annemarie - Thanks for reminding me about like/loving yourself. I am pleased to say I have finally learnt to love myself.....took along time...over 50 years!
Ron - Your father was a very wise man...as you are Ron. Regarding you and TJ, they say opposites attract and it certainly works in your case.
Carrie - As I said to you before, I am a clown most of the time except when I write my blog posts. Must have a Jekyll and Hyde personality!
Sarah - Excellent statement "And as my own awareness and giving has grown so has my life"....very powerful.
Roban - Yes you could say I have travelled far and wide not only to other countries (I realised you weren't talking about this type of journey).
My journey of life was thwarted with uncertainty, confusion and indecision that caused me to feel powerless....it is still a work in progress of course, but I am taking one step at a time which seems to be working.
Also what a honour to have won "Playlist of the day" while you piddle around the house!
Silver - Thanks for the birthday wishes. My birthday was on 1st December but we celebrated a little bit earlier.
Annemarie and I haven't been on our trip yet, it is quite a long way off - July 2010.
I will have to end here as I have to take the cat to the vet....back soon.
Back again. For those of you interested, my cat Ellie suffers terribly with a skin infection and scratches the "bejeavers" out of herself all the time, so every 6 week she has a quartazone injection which relieves the scratching completely......now where was I?
Caroline - Yes I learned a long time ago to "Treat others as you wish to be treated."....I am quite superstitious about it actually, if I think about doing something that is not very nice I quickly remember how I would feel if it happened to me....my conscience always keeps me in check!
Macs - We always seem to be on the same wavelength....you are an old soul remember and I am just old! I used to be attracted to "troubled souls" but in the last couple of years I have been gravitating towards happy, smiling people.
No I am not a Scorpio I am a Sagittarian...the wanderers of the Zodiac.
Frida Kahlo was sure a pretty cool lady, hope you get the dvd out and watch the movie.
Healingstones - I feel that last point is the most important point...to "look critically at the things that annoy us" and ask why.
I hate asking this question, it makes me feel quite uncomfortable, I like to think it is them and NOT me who has faults.
I do very much like your idea "that people we have around us are like mirrors, reflecting aspects of ourselves since we have drawn them to us"....especially if they are "beautiful" people.
The Dalai Lama quote is so true, thanks for the reminder.
Well folks I am off to Canberra (capital of Australia) shortly for the weekend. Simon is having his 50th birthday party. Looking forward to seeing some old friends again and catching up on all the latest goss!
Have a wonderful weekend and keep smiling. :-) :*
Peggy
I'm over from Lilly's. Lovely post. We just found out we're getting a tax refund this year, so the phone rang, it was a charity calling for donations, and I thought it was the right thing to do today in particular! (Getting back, giving back a little to a good cause) My husband goes 'what?'
I always enjoy stopping in here from time to time, Peggy because I always come away having learned something about you -- and about myself. Amazing how it takes someone so far away who has never even met me to open my eyes to things I fail to see (or don't want to).
Thank you!
Kat
Words to live by Miss Peg:)
I've heard that before that what annoys us in other people is something in you that needs to be worked on and sometimes it is true and sometimes the other person can really be a nerd. Just being honest.
Christine - Way to go girl, it is such a wonderful feeling doing something like that on the spur of the moment.
Kat - I know EXACTLY what you mean. I often come away from reading my blogging friends posts with new insights that I have failed to see before. In the last few months I have grown enormously in so many aspects of my life.
Steph - You hit the nail on the head with that comment....we can at least try!
Monica - Please keep on being honest! You are certainly correct, some people are just nerds and I refuse (if possible) to let them be a part of my life. And if it is not possible I try not to let their negativity creep into my psyche.
You are the epitome of giving without expecting in return! That is who you are and that is how you blog and post. I too love your songs and love the friends pic at the end of this post. I am also looking at the color of your walls. I have the same in my kitchen and a golden version of it in my living room!
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