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Apr. 8th, 2005 01:41 am Sometimes, in this life, I come across something
that doesn't seem to be quite right. Like the pettiness of how we treat
each other or that a Love may never be realized because of selfishness.
I've always thought that the human race is very self-centered. And I
haven't seen anything to really change my feelings about that. *shrugs*
I've been thinking about this a bit. How our selfishness affects our relationships. In recent weeks I've listened to people talk about how things need to change in order for a relationship to work. I usually end up thinking that it's more a gaurantee of how to end the relationship. I think that people need to think less of themselves and more on what is good in general. I'm not saying that anyone should change who they are to satisfy someone else, just that change and growth are important things. Change because it satisfies your own spirit. That it should make you a better person.
Growth... it's an important concept. What I see all too often is someone who has simply stopped growing. Usually at a very juvenile stage of development where it's all about the personal comfort of that person. "Me me me me me me ..... I" Not a very nice thing when repeated endlessly. Usually, I think, the things we crave are rarely what we need or even what is good for us.
Think how that might apply to a relationship. First person: "I need to be in charge and make all our decisions." Second person: "Alright"
A bit lame.... but a common theme. I see a lot of unbalanced relationships. They seem to lead to disappointment and discouragement. I don't want a partner who will change to suit me. I want someone who will challenge me... help me grow, help me learn more about myself.
There are other things that make us humans less than savoury. Aside from selfishness we are also inately greedy. We believe that the world is our 'due'. That we can and should mold the natural world simply because we can. I think that it gives us the burden instead of making sure we DON'T manipulate the world just to suite our needs. "With power comes responsibility" Something we'd be wise to remember.
I hate how we spread to fill every corner and niche within our reach. How we constantly degrade the world and wonder why it doesn't sustain us any longer. We use all manner of excuse to forgive ourselves. But the worst is our excuse that God gave us dominion over the heavens and the earth, therefore we are right in doing whatever we want to.
Sadly, this seems to be the main theme of religion throughout the world. Even Wicca suffers from these falacies. I was shocked to understand the purpose of 'spells'. Even though they caution against seeking personal gain they turn about and offer spells of Love, money, health and happiness with a glib tongue. >.<
Spells, in their way are akin to prayer or any of the other forms of beseeching the greater forces in the world. From time to time I will 'pray'. I have done it seldomly. When I have I have sought out understanding or strength of spirit or character to come to grips with what I've been given in life. My life has seldom been easy. Many times I've been required to act where I could have walked away. No one has forced me to this.... other than my own beliefs and faith in a greater spirit than I can encompass within myself.
So, think about what you mean to yourself. Consider what you gain and lose by not keeping faith with yourself. Are you really doing the things you were meant to? Too many lies are told each day to be born gracefully. I say that we, as a species, need to wake up and GROW up! If you have ever said to yourself.... 'If only.....' Then I think you need to examine your own motives in a new light. If only are strong words. They mean we are fooling ourselves yet again.
People will still have disputes. People will still have differing opinions. But if we stop trying to be selfish... to insist that all be the way that we desire it, then perhaps we can finally grow.
For example.... Gay marriage. Other than those intimately involved should it really involve any one else? Does my choice of partner REALLY diminish any one else? Or the parents who attack their own children when they 'come out'? Isn't that an expression of greed on the parts of the parents? Isn't it really saying that you havve failed to live up to our fantasies of who you are?
What about someone who commits a crime? Isn't that a failure of the person to consider how it impacts the greater society? *shakes head* I think it does. I think that many of the things we do are just expressions of greed. Think about the tennets of Wicca... Christianity, Muslim, Taoism.... They ask us to set aside our own judgements. To do no harm, to consider our miniscule place in the scheme of creation. Why can't we do that?
I've been thinking about this a bit. How our selfishness affects our relationships. In recent weeks I've listened to people talk about how things need to change in order for a relationship to work. I usually end up thinking that it's more a gaurantee of how to end the relationship. I think that people need to think less of themselves and more on what is good in general. I'm not saying that anyone should change who they are to satisfy someone else, just that change and growth are important things. Change because it satisfies your own spirit. That it should make you a better person.
Growth... it's an important concept. What I see all too often is someone who has simply stopped growing. Usually at a very juvenile stage of development where it's all about the personal comfort of that person. "Me me me me me me ..... I" Not a very nice thing when repeated endlessly. Usually, I think, the things we crave are rarely what we need or even what is good for us.
Think how that might apply to a relationship. First person: "I need to be in charge and make all our decisions." Second person: "Alright"
A bit lame.... but a common theme. I see a lot of unbalanced relationships. They seem to lead to disappointment and discouragement. I don't want a partner who will change to suit me. I want someone who will challenge me... help me grow, help me learn more about myself.
There are other things that make us humans less than savoury. Aside from selfishness we are also inately greedy. We believe that the world is our 'due'. That we can and should mold the natural world simply because we can. I think that it gives us the burden instead of making sure we DON'T manipulate the world just to suite our needs. "With power comes responsibility" Something we'd be wise to remember.
I hate how we spread to fill every corner and niche within our reach. How we constantly degrade the world and wonder why it doesn't sustain us any longer. We use all manner of excuse to forgive ourselves. But the worst is our excuse that God gave us dominion over the heavens and the earth, therefore we are right in doing whatever we want to.
Sadly, this seems to be the main theme of religion throughout the world. Even Wicca suffers from these falacies. I was shocked to understand the purpose of 'spells'. Even though they caution against seeking personal gain they turn about and offer spells of Love, money, health and happiness with a glib tongue. >.<
Spells, in their way are akin to prayer or any of the other forms of beseeching the greater forces in the world. From time to time I will 'pray'. I have done it seldomly. When I have I have sought out understanding or strength of spirit or character to come to grips with what I've been given in life. My life has seldom been easy. Many times I've been required to act where I could have walked away. No one has forced me to this.... other than my own beliefs and faith in a greater spirit than I can encompass within myself.
So, think about what you mean to yourself. Consider what you gain and lose by not keeping faith with yourself. Are you really doing the things you were meant to? Too many lies are told each day to be born gracefully. I say that we, as a species, need to wake up and GROW up! If you have ever said to yourself.... 'If only.....' Then I think you need to examine your own motives in a new light. If only are strong words. They mean we are fooling ourselves yet again.
People will still have disputes. People will still have differing opinions. But if we stop trying to be selfish... to insist that all be the way that we desire it, then perhaps we can finally grow.
For example.... Gay marriage. Other than those intimately involved should it really involve any one else? Does my choice of partner REALLY diminish any one else? Or the parents who attack their own children when they 'come out'? Isn't that an expression of greed on the parts of the parents? Isn't it really saying that you havve failed to live up to our fantasies of who you are?
What about someone who commits a crime? Isn't that a failure of the person to consider how it impacts the greater society? *shakes head* I think it does. I think that many of the things we do are just expressions of greed. Think about the tennets of Wicca... Christianity, Muslim, Taoism.... They ask us to set aside our own judgements. To do no harm, to consider our miniscule place in the scheme of creation. Why can't we do that?
