Dear Pogue,

Do you ever find yourself doing a thing you wouldn’t choose to do or even have considered doing because it’s good for someone else? You have become willing to inconvenience yourself to improve another’s situation.

I’m thinking if you have been in that situation you are one of a small number of people in the current world because, well, most people will ignore anything that brings cost or just inconvenience into their own lives. I say “current world” but I am already reminded that this was documented way back. Remember the parable that Jesus told of the Good Samaritan? How a man lay beaten and bloodied on the side of the road and was in serious need of some intervention from another. How the story tells us people passed him by even choosing to cross to the other side to avoid contact? Then along came a stranger who “took pity”, gave up his day, his money, any ideas of personal space and inconvenienced himself to the betterment of the beaten man. But how many had passed him by before the stranger came along?

There is a rare breed of people who go all in. They keep their word. They give their all. They put themselves last for those they care about.

These individuals rarely receive the same compassion and effort in return yet continues to give freely. To the givers, for givers and selfless lovers out there…keep pushing forward. Don’t let this cold world change who you are.

#Shitology

So I guess we can conclude that finding a person willing to sacrifice time, money, space for another seems to be an age old problem. Basically the selfish gene is predominant in everyday life. It’s all about “me”. But just occasionally there comes an aberration in the gene pool.

I know such a person. I’d go as far as to say she’s wired differently and gives freely of her time and compassion to others. And being in her company is different. And the fact that I notice tells how unusual it is for me to be with this sort of person. I mean, I rarely notice selfish behaviour unless it is extreme. I just expect people to behave in this manner.

Life will bring plenty of people across your path who you can inconvenience yourself for. Once you start noticing you will notice even more. It’s sort of the way things work. You don’t notice red cars as you drive and then someone says,”Spot a red car” and, wham, your seeing them everywhere. You’re just not seeing the white cars now. It’s your choice if you help and who and how much. Like all things, behaving selflessly takes practice. I guess it’s just another under exercised muscle. And like all muscles it will grow with use. Don’t overdo things. Easy does it.

The world needs those who move easily through inconveniences. Those who don’t become overwhelmed and know that in a selfless life we always have to be a little selfish towards our own wellbeing.

If selflessness is defined as considering the needs of others, it’s certainly not defined by failing to consider ourselves.

Debra Fileta

We give best from a secure life and awareness of our own wellbeing.

See who passes by your world this week.

Yours, looking for red cars,

Wic