Guest guest Posted November 13, 2004 Report Share Posted November 13, 2004 Latha Nanda: "How can I even figure out what I want to do until I have that inspiration, that example, that vision" ...he (Swami) continues "That is why we start with selfless actions"Selfless action is the key to cultivating love. Dear Latha ~ so simple and yet so difficult. How many times have I thought I was being selfless only to find out I was really being self deprecating (letting people walk all over me, take advantage of me, etc.). It is really a fine line to understand the difference. And people challenge us all the time to find it. I am participating in a project where people write letters to other people who feel a need for communication. Either they are sick, in jail, or devotees living in isolation. I thought, "what a wonderful project." So I volunteered to write to one person because, being sick, I felt that was all I could handle. The coordinator wrote back to me and said that wasn't enough ~ everyone else in the group writes to 4 and they would be jealous. Wow! So I wrote back and said I would write to two. That was better. Then this person sent me the letter writing guidelines 3 times and wrote to me twice to tell me I couldn't give advice, and she was telling me because I had given advice to her. Wow! Smack! I thought about our emails, which had primarily been over another project involving adopting a family in need. She wanted us to adopt two more families, and so I was writing to her to let her know we needed more information, what the families needs were, so we could help, etc. It didn't feel like advice to me, but I guess it did to her. Meorooow Anyway, this really tested me. I thought about backing out of the letter writing project, and then I thought, no, I will do it and see if I can handle writing to two. I won't back out just because I got smacked. But talk about the razors edge of selfless love. I think there are little cuts all over my feet. Or maybe all over my ego : ) Sometimes our tests come in the form of seemingly simple, wonderful and easy things. My hat goes off to folks who are being tested in more difficult ways. Long story, but I guess it illustrates your point. Now I will have to see if I can proceed in the project in a truly selfless way. Jai Maa ~ Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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