Giving Up is Different From Letting Someone Down

 I think we need a healthy balance between the apparent opposites: taking and giving. We are very familiar with the stressful life we have created in ourselves because of the time pressure we feel most of the time. Sadly, we do not have time to be with ourselves, to listen mindfully listen to what's happening in our body, mind and heart and in the lives of the people who are  close to us. We have allowed ourselves to be caught up in the no-time cycle.We know how or we may not know how much price we have paid for trading on the fast stressful lane. There is always more to do, more to accomplish- more money, more name and fame, more power and possession. We are paying a big toll for neglecting or side tracking the other side of the doing lane-the lane of not doing,relaxing,giving time to ourselves and the folks in our life, to enjoy the bounties of nature, to reach out and offer our compassionate caring hands. No wonder why there is an increase in mental and medical diseases. They are mainly caused by our lack of giving quality time to our selves, to  our families and to relate to the gifts of nature.

I have seen three generations in my relatively 91 years old life. The first generation, my generation, when we had more time to give to each other with hardly any mechanical and electrical toys to play with.Going to bed when the night arrives and waking up when the sun shows up, taking long evening walks and running around with no reason.Life was simple and easy. We had more time to give to ourselves and to others.When I entered into the second generation I witnessed the heavy impact of the industrial revolution-taking more time to do and giving less time to be.The third generation has its own world-  the world of computers and social media. I take a lot of time to check my emails, text, call and face book, without facing the real person in front of me. Benefits? Yes. Losses? Yes.

I am learning how to use my discretion to make wise choices, to strike a balance between the world of doing  and the world of being.How can we have a balance between taking and giving is a challenge for all of us.This challenge has given me an opportunity to live more mindfully. 

May we all learn, teach and share our ways of creating and sustaining such balance wholesome balance!
Namaste. Jagdish

 Namaste.

 Oh how wisely put.  And with the experience of your years being a witness to the fast changing times, means the importance of giving time to time.  We still have the same time as 100 years ago, but we have so many more distractions, that can leave me anyway, too unfocused at times.  And I began life in my present form 72 years ago, and I too just had the 'occasional' use of the phone ... If my father let me!
Thank you Jagdish