| Giving |
| When I give I give myself. |
Walt Whitman
|
At this time, it is natural for you to be thinking about all that you have given
to that person from whom you are now separating. Not only is this natural; it is
necessary, in order for you to establish a better understanding of your potential
for future growth. To dwell upon the idea that you gave too much or too little, however,
is counterproductive and will keep you tied to the past. You must be able to see
the act of giving as being intimately connected to that which you receive in your
life experiences.
In order to have a clearer knowledge of the relationship between giving and receiving,
you will have to consider what your motivation was in giving something in the first
place. Where you feel pain or resentment for what you have given, the guiding force
behind the giving was itself negative. It was based upon a calculation of what you
expected to receive in return. The benefits of love cannot be calculated. Where you
feel genuine joy for having given, it is because your giving was really a sharing
of yourself. Giving as sharing of oneself is the very foundation of love.
Your mind should be focused on the spiritual sharing which was the core of your
relationship. This is not to say that the material concerns involved in this separation
are not important. They are; but they are secondary to your development as a person
capable of sharing a life with someone else. And you should treat them as such. If
there must be a division of shared material possessions, then go about making this
division with a sense of fairness and love.
When you give freely, you are always the recipient. Keep this idea foremost in
your mind. As you examine your past, try to recognize the occasions when your open
sharing of yourself was the source of your joy and of your sense of freedom. Concentrate
upon the experiences in which the love you received was the pure counterpart of the
love you gave.
This period of separation affords you the opportunity to learn more about yourself
and your potential for giving. Carry the fruits of the experiences you shared in
the relationship into your present life. Practice freely the act of giving and of
seeing this giving as a sharing of yourself. Life itself is the greatest giver of
all. By realizing this, you will be at peace with yourself and capable of giving
back to life your greatest gift-yourself.
