To be or not to be (of service). That is the question.

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone:

I dragged my teary self out the door this morning for a practice run. When I

reached the main road I noticed a man pushing his car. He was about a quarter

mile in the opposite direction of where I was heading. I stopped, and sprinted

in his direction. I ended up helping him push his car nearly a mile to the

garage. We had a wonderful conversation. (He was the newpaper delivery man who

has been traveling since 3am along his route and ran out of gas). There was

something very meaningful in being able to look in his eyes, shake his hand and

for me to be the one to thank him.

 

Too, I wanted to share about " the pull " I experienced when at the crossroad of

making that decision of to be or not to be of service. To not assist him was not

one of the choices. And I'm so grateful as it had instantly changed my focus

from teary-eyed and feeling sorry for myself to sprinting in the direction to

assist another. (Literally)

 

I'm noticing this kind of thing more and more in the small encounters throughout

my day, especially when I'm starting to dwell. It's like Shakti won't have

anything to do with that nonesense, and doesn't permit the dwelling for

long...shifts things around, changes the focus and perspective and directs me

back on to the path of service to others.

 

2B & Love:

Danielle

[Guest guest]

Thanks Danielle for sharing this beautiful example of service. it brought to

mind the line from the St. Francis prayer " that it is in giving that we receive.

love,

Jan

 

, " iamwaitingmoon "

<iamwaitingmoon wrote:

>

> Hi Everyone:

> I dragged my teary self out the door this morning for a practice run. When I

reached the main road I noticed a man pushing his car. He was about a quarter

mile in the opposite direction of where I was heading. I stopped, and sprinted

in his direction. I ended up helping him push his car nearly a mile to the

garage. We had a wonderful conversation. (He was the newpaper delivery man who

has been traveling since 3am along his route and ran out of gas). There was

something very meaningful in being able to look in his eyes, shake his hand and

for me to be the one to thank him.

>

> Too, I wanted to share about " the pull " I experienced when at the crossroad of

making that decision of to be or not to be of service. To not assist him was not

one of the choices. And I'm so grateful as it had instantly changed my focus

from teary-eyed and feeling sorry for myself to sprinting in the direction to

assist another. (Literally)

>

> I'm noticing this kind of thing more and more in the small encounters

throughout my day, especially when I'm starting to dwell. It's like Shakti won't

have anything to do with that nonesense, and doesn't permit the dwelling for

long...shifts things around, changes the focus and perspective and directs me

back on to the path of service to others.

>

> 2B & Love:

> Danielle

>

[Guest guest]

Hello all. I don't even know if there is a question to be asked. Do you be of

service or not? I think you have no choice. Because if you read what is here,

you ask to do those things, rather than to seek something for yourself....

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

and where there is sadness, joy.

 

O Divine Master,

grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;

to be understood, as to understand;

to be loved, as to love;

for it is in giving that we receive,

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.

 

Amen.

 

Perhaps the original publication of the prayer was submitted anonymously to the

French publication La Clochette in 1912.

 

Seigneur, faites de moi un instrument de votre paix.

Là où il y a de la haine, que je mette l'amour.

Là où il y a l'offense, que je mette le pardon.

Là où il y a la discorde, que je mette l'union.

Là où il y a l'erreur, que je mette la vérité.

Là où il y a le doute, que je mette la foi.

Là où il y a le désespoir, que je mette l'espérance.

Là où il y a les ténèbres, que je mette votre lumière.

Là où il y a la tristesse, que je mette la joie.

 

Ô Maître, que je ne cherche pas tant à être consolé qu'à consoler,

à être compris qu'à comprendre,

à être aimé qu'à aimer,

car c'est en donnant qu'on reçoit,

c'est en s'oubliant qu'on trouve, c'est en pardonnant qu'on est pardonné,

c'est en mourant qu'on ressuscite à l'éternelle vie.

 

An alternate version is found in Chapter 11 (Page 99) of the " Twelve Steps and

Twelve Traditions " , a book published by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services,

Inc.

 

Lord, make me a channel of thy peace;

that where there is hatred, I may bring love;

that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;

that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;

that where there is error, I may bring truth;

that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;

that where there is despair, I may bring hope;

that where there are shadows, I may bring light;

that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.

 

Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted;

to understand, than to be understood;

to love, than to be loved.

For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.

It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.

It is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.

Amen.

Yup, it is what we should all live by......

love,

Shaun

[Guest guest]

thats great Danielle. I know what you mean by that " pull " , the pull that I used

to ignore alot and just keep to my business, recently the regretful feelings

have intensified if I didn't help. It's a lot easier to be of help and less time

consuming than to run the other direction and feel the internal war all day

long, lol.

 

good for you Danielle, thats awesome!

 

craig

 

, " iamwaitingmoon "

<iamwaitingmoon wrote:

>

> Hi Everyone:

> I dragged my teary self out the door this morning for a practice run. When I

reached the main road I noticed a man pushing his car. He was about a quarter

mile in the opposite direction of where I was heading. I stopped, and sprinted

in his direction. I ended up helping him push his car nearly a mile to the

garage. We had a wonderful conversation. (He was the newpaper delivery man who

has been traveling since 3am along his route and ran out of gas). There was

something very meaningful in being able to look in his eyes, shake his hand and

for me to be the one to thank him.

>

> Too, I wanted to share about " the pull " I experienced when at the crossroad of

making that decision of to be or not to be of service. To not assist him was not

one of the choices. And I'm so grateful as it had instantly changed my focus

from teary-eyed and feeling sorry for myself to sprinting in the direction to

assist another. (Literally)

>

> I'm noticing this kind of thing more and more in the small encounters

throughout my day, especially when I'm starting to dwell. It's like Shakti won't

have anything to do with that nonesense, and doesn't permit the dwelling for

long...shifts things around, changes the focus and perspective and directs me

back on to the path of service to others.

>

> 2B & Love:

> Danielle

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Shaun...  these are indeed  beautiful words... 

I love them sung by Sinead O Connor, so I hope it is ok to post the link to her

singing  on you tube for those who might like to listen to it...

In these neck of the woods it is usually called  " make me a channel of your

peace " or  " prayer of St Francis " . 

Enjoy.

Love Julia.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtJeI4Q9nBE

 

   

Make me a channel of your peace.

Where there is hatred let me bring your

love.

Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord

And where there's doubt, true faith in

you..

 

Make me a channel of your peace

Where there's despair in life, let me bring

hope

Where there is darkness, only light

And where there's sadness, ever joy.Chorus:

 

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love with all my soul.

 

 

Make me a channel of your peace

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

I is i giving to all men that we receive

And in dying that we're born to eternal

life.

 

 

 

 

 

________________________________

shaun1154 <shaunjd

 

Sun, October 18, 2009 9:55:35 PM

Re: To be or not to be (of service).

That is the question.

 

 

 

Hello all. I don't even know if there is a question to be asked. Do you be of

service or not? I think you have no choice. Because if you read what is here,

you ask to do those things, rather than to seek something for yourself....

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

..