This is a message from the Center for Attitudinal Healing that I thought was especially appealing given that I do find "serving" my lady does provide me with a sense of purpose that I like.
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” Rabindranath Tagore
One of the key teachings we work with is that giving and receiving are the same. And…they are instantaneously linked. There is no time lag between giving and receiving. As I give I receive at the same time. It has nothing to do with how my gift or service is received.
Tagore so beautifully illustrates this truth in the quote above. When I am 'asleep' (in my ego) I dream of joy and how I am going to receive that in my life. When I 'awake' (listen to the Truth within me) I realize that the only joy, in Truth, lies in service.
So often we see clients at our center confusing ‘sacrifice’ with ‘love’. It is not until they see that their interest is not separate from another’s that real healing begins.