All the Small (and Selfish) Things
It is the grand champion of paradox: SERVICE
Most people don’t realize that it is when we seek to serve others, that we receive life’s greatest gifts.
And for that, service can be both selfless, and selfish. A wonderful, win-win paradox. For no one (at least that I know) will condemn the man who seeks to fill his spiritual well through the service of another.
There’s something else that most people don’t realize…about service. Opportunities are everywhere.
Our nature is to believe that serving others takes the form of volunteering at a shelter, cleaning up a roadside, or making a financial contribution. Yes, these are wonderful opportunities. But what often gets overlooked, are all the small things. The small, seemingly insignificant actions, and interactions…that present the possibility of enriching someone’s day.
- The willingness to truly listen when someone speaks.
- A door held for the parent guiding 3 children.
- Shoveling your neighbors drive.
- Helping a friend to move that couch.
- An acknowledgement of appreciation for someone who just poured you a cup of coffee.
- Genuine interest in the life of another.
These may just seem like ‘acts of kindness’…but they’re so much more. They’re acts of service.
You may not realize how high they will lift up the receiver. So just concentrate on how much it can fill up the giver.
You selfish person, you.
“The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is service to a fellow human being.” – Lech Walesa
“Na, na, na na, na na, na na, na na,
Na, na, na na, na na, na na, na na,
Na, na, na na, na na, na na, na na,
Na, na, na na, na na, na na, na na…”
– Blink 182
