The key to any relationship is giving. Whatever the relationship –- marriage, parent-child, sibling, friendship, teacher-student, employer-employee, customer-vendor, etc. –- the quality of that relationship is a function of how much each person gives to the other.
A relationship is ideal when both people in it give maximum to each other. If both give maximum, then both receive maximum. Of course, if both people enter a relationship only expecting to receive and no one gives, then no one gets. If only one gives but doesn’t receive anything from the other, then he or she will tire quickly of such an unfulfilling relationship.
When both are giving maximum, each then converts what he or she had just received and gives it back. The phenomenon builds on itself. It creates the opposite of a vicious cycle; it creates a delicious cycle.
For example, let us consider the relationship between a musician and his audience. A musician gives his music to the audience. What does the audience give to the musician? It receives the music and in return gives appreciation. Appreciation is an enormous gift to a musician. A musician then spontaneously converts an audience's appreciation into more inspired music which causes the audience to give more appreciation and which stimulates more musical inspiration. And on it goes.
I bring this angle up in order to expand on my previous post on identifying one's calling. I posed one question where the answer should give profound insight into one's path in life. That question we should ask ourselves is – what do I give, the giving of which fills me with great bliss.
Each of us has been given wonderful gifts from God/Nature/the Universe/whatever. Giving of your gifts to others is the ultimate appreciation of the Giver who gave them to you in the first place. By giving them you receive more and more bliss which then inspires you to develop your gifts and give more.
This is the way to live one's life. This is how to identify your calling. And needless to say, the process is so wonderful, so joyful, and so fulfilling, that no one in his or her right mind would ever think to call it “work.”
Perfect. Perfect. Perfect. This post is right on! I'm new to your blog, but I bet you like writing and I bet that when people appreciate your writing, you enjoy it all the more. I really like the musician example. It speaks to the symbiotic and balanced relationship that powers the universe.
Posted by: Chris | September 11, 2011 at 01:03 PM