The gift of receiving
Cindy on February 19th, 2009
Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. – Helen Keller
Have you ever found yourself in a position of extreme vulnerability — when you had to rely on others to help you navigate even the most ordinary routines? Most of my life, I’ve struggled to appear self-reliant and capable. My first hip-replacement surgery changed all that. You can read more about it in this week’s MIDPOINT column in the online edition of The Oakland Press.
âIf you missed the introductory âMidpointâ column in The Oakland Press, click here.â
February 20th, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Cindy,
It is difficult to know when to reach out and ask others to help or to keep our burdens to ourselves. In the caregiving role, it was hard for me to ask anyone to help us.
I am trying to work on looking for ways to meet the unspoken needs of those around me.
Patricia
February 20th, 2009 at 7:21 pm
I can relate to this in many ways. I’m a person who is independent to the point of pride, and someone who has mostly been a giver rather than a taker. To even admit that I needed help, much less ask for and receive it, was difficult for me. For me, Hurricane Katrina was the eye-opener, because I literally had no choice.
I see now how out-of-balance that way of living is. We’re all connected, all part of the same whole, like drops of water in the ocean. You quoted the Biblical phrase, “it’s more blessed to give than to receive.” But if everyone’s giving and no one’s receiving, there’s no balance, no ecology.
February 21st, 2009 at 6:29 am
Great post Cindy and so true. I have friends that can’t accept/ask for support and it drives me batty! It’s such a good feeling to help- but I’m not the world’s best asker either so….
February 21st, 2009 at 10:26 pm
Cindy, the older I get, the more I appreciate when people handle their vulnerable moments with grace. Thanks for sharing your first-hand experience on this important topic.