Conflicting forces refine choice. The contrast of bitter makes sweet all the sweeter. The seeming polar opposites of selfishness and selflessness exist to serve one another. Selfishness broadens the gap between the contradictions in life, selflessness will close that gap. Selfishness emphasizes differences, selflessness reveals the common ground. Selfishness magnifies problems, selflessness unveils solutions. Selfishness exposes faults, selflessness covers a multitude of sins. Here’s the paradox though: without selfishness, I will not arrive at selflessness.
Refining Choice
Wow! This is language that my soul needs to be able to interpret right now. I love this. You have always been my greatest teacher, besides the Holy Spirit, of course. I feel like your August 19 entry is written to emphasize the lessons that have been going on in my life. I so needed this. The way you define the two terms is like a mirror or diagnosis of the way we see ourselves and others. Selflessness truly is the path of humility, unity, and love. It is what we are called to. One more paradox which I have also had to realize recently is that in order to be truly selfless there is a definite need to nurture oneself–this sometimes looks likes selfishness. It’s tricky to find the balace between boundaries and boundlessness. Both are true and vital to our most intimiate relationships!
…Thank you mother, teacher, friend.
Yes, the paradox between selflessness and self-nurturing is another interesting one. To add scriptural basis we can say, “love your neighbor as yourself.” If we can not, will not, do not love ourselves then we can not, will not, and do not love our neighbor. No matter how hard we try to emulate love, it will never be love until it’s coming from true self-love (which emanates from the essential/relational core of God’s love). We love because He first loved us.
The balance between boundaries and boundlessnes… there’s another interesting paradox. Thanks for sparking me. I am a blessed woman because my daughters have become my teachers and my friends. I love you!