Only Service Heals

This passage is SO relevant to all of us engaged in the work of service! It has been a theme I have been grappling with - and hence the passage really resonates.

For me, there are very clear clues to tell me what space am I serving from.

For example, if there is an expectation of getting something back (however subtle, and how much ever in the future it arises), it tells me that my space was more transactional, though disguised as service

Or, if I am grounded in some type of superiority (of intellect, experience or exposure) and then I act from that, it is actually a performance, a statement of my greatness disguised as service

When I used the word 'disguised' here it doesn't necessarily mean only others - it may be disguised from myself in that I may be happily deluding myself about my serving.

To me for service to be true, I need to surrender into the insignificance of the local 'me' - in that who am I to know what is the best way to 'solve' this? who am I to be able to influence or even nudge the course of a larger unfolding? and who am I before a vastly more intelligent Universe? 

(and again to not say these things intellectually, which I catch myself doing, but to truly internalize them)

I am so rarely truly serving because there is so much thinking, so much mind and so much 'me' that needs to get out of the way - and I am mindful of this, but don't try to 'fix' it, else I will be recreating the pattern all over again, within :)

So its a lovely slippery tricky slope, which makes the journey so worthwhile!

 Thanks for sharing your insights Abhishek!

 Service/serving is an act of love with a difference i.e. without any expectations .It makes us smile inside .
Smiling as we serve is what i try and do
Savy Kaur

 I salute you aspiration......to have this smile inside as your real feeling, does it come from trying, or does it come from that moment of divinity that simply is there sometimes,  For me it never is there if I try.  Feel the feeling, no
matter what it is. 

Thanks for sharing Abhishek.  I was feeling same way but could not put it in words precisely.  Salute to your clarity of mind.
As a proactive approach, if I ever felt disturbed, irritated or frustrated during or after serving(during the process of long term serving) it immediately awakens me!  I begin to look at the event retrospectively and always result of that introspection is my ego ( "local me")! And that means I also feel that so far I have hardly served in a true manner!  Thanks for giving clarity to the reading for me to understand.
I know, the day I feel pure peace and joy, will be the day I have served.
Bharat