Opening the Circle

I am not the sort that takes a compliment well, though I am getting better. And it is difficult for me to be on the receiving end of gifts. I am the one who gives.

See, I forget that when we are not comfortable about receiveing gifts, we deny others the sincere joy of giving. Wonderment is a pleasure but service to others is more of a pleasure.

We honor, both ourselves and others by allowing ourselves to be loved and appreciated.

In my culture- supposedlyJudao-Christian in nature-- it is humbling to receive gifts; we must be not be proud or lustful or greedy. But if we are giving others joy be receiving gifts with gratitude, then are we not honoring the Divine Connection with all things?

I suspect that there is a balance to receiving and giving. How do we find that when the individualistic society presses it's tribalistic/globalistic agenda in our face?

I say...open your circle. Get to know more and more and more people in the most real ways possible. Listen to their stories. And notice how they are lik you and me and then, notice again.