Last night I talked with a friend about what a challenge it is for each of us to receive help around finances. We each carry the thought that we created our situation, so it must be our responsibility to solve it. We each expressed the thought that accepting financial help from someone would only increase our feelings of failure.
Today I was listening to a CD called “Speaking Peace” by Marshall Rosenberg, the founder of Non-Violent Communication. He shared a song by Ruth Bebermeyer called “Given To” and there was one particular thought that completely captured my attention:
When you give to me
I give you my receiving;
And when you take from me
I feel so given to.
What a remarkably different way to view the whole idea of giving and receiving help! What if, in allowing someone who loves me to help me, I am actually giving them a gift? I know that there’s truth in that from the other side – I feel joy in being able to give to others. So why should I assume that they would feel anything other than joy in giving to me?
It’s a lesson that I’ll need to spend more time with. I know that it’s one that’s going to prove valuable in the months and years to come.
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William
August 17, 2011 at 1:36 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I like your insight Leah! Great picture too. It gives me a feeling for the gift of receiving. May it prove most useful in the months and years to come. Just this morning I heard from a beloved friend to expect something in the mail later this week and I’m sitting here feeling, among other things, excitement for the opportunity to give a gift by joyfully receiving. Thanks for sharing your insight of receiving as a gift.
Maria
August 17, 2011 at 5:00 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I love the idea of giving by receiving. I used to have the most horrible time receiving graciously and I’m still needing improvement with the practice of receiving. I know how good I feel when I give from the heart and this does make it easier to receive. I don’t want to be an abundance blocker adding to the stagnation of energy flow. Do you know about freecycle? It works on the giving and receiving principle. It’s at http://www.freecycle.org
I’ve just started giving and receiving thru the St.J freecycle. I love it.
Leah Carey
August 20, 2011 at 7:58 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thank you William. I love that you wanted to give a gift by being a good receiver for your friend! 🙂
Leah Carey
August 20, 2011 at 7:59 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Maria, I think we’re all learning and will continue to learn for many, many years to come. I’ve been a member of the local Freecycle for a while and I love the idea! I hope you’re enjoying your experience with them.
The Miracle Journal » Taking a stand
August 30, 2011 at 7:53 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
[…] if that doesn’t just turn the tables on everything I expected!!! It reminds me a lot of the post about “Giving AND Receiving” and how sometimes graciously receiving a gift is so much more valuable than being able to repay […]
The Miracle Journal » The motorcycle trip
December 25, 2011 at 9:02 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
[…] That is an amazing show of friendship and love – my guess is that Amanda may be forgoing her own bike trip to let us take this long-planned trip, but she never even made a peep about it. In fact, she looked radiantly happy at the possibility of providing such a gift and blessing to a friend. Once again I am reminded of the gift that we give by being generous recipients. […]
The Miracle Journal | Giving and receiving…and asking for what we want
May 27, 2013 at 9:17 PM (UTC -4) Link to this comment
[…] (In writing this post, I remembered that I’ve written on this topic before. That post is just as topical for me today as it was when I wrote it in August 2011. Read it here: Giving AND receiving) […]