Give or take?

There are any number of ways we can approach life. Two of those are that we either look at life from a perspective of “What can life give me?”, or have a frame of reference that says “What do I have to offer to life?”
In other words, what can I take from it versus what can I give to it.

The attitudes are definitely opposites, yet have commonalities as well. They both tend to affect every area of our lives. And neither is sustainable without the other… If we are always focused on ‘taking’ without ever giving anything in return, we are bound to hit a brick wal at some point. On the other hand, if we are always eager to give and never permit ourselves to receive (take back), we may find ourselves depleted.

On the other hand, successful, rich people who may be ruthless in business, may give big sums of money to worthy causes, as what is received in return often is far greater than just ‘feeling good about yourself’. And those who first and foremost give back to their communities can become hugely successful in their chosen field or profession.

Needless to say this is also true for our energy, our time, and perhaps most importantly, our individual talents.
And that is where the question of whether we take or give comes up perhaps most profoundly. Do we use our talents just to achieve the next step; to fill our latest wishes or desires? Or do we offer our talents to the world in such a way that we can make a difference. Do we operate from a perspective of personal gain, or rather use what we have to offer for the ‘good of all mankind’?

Often this is not a ‘black or white’ choice. It is not by any stretch of the imagination a logical choice either, as logic might say “depends on what I receive in return”. And whatever is ultimately coming back to us seems often to be independent from the perspective we end up choosing.

Yet, being confronted with the question whether to give or take, I can’t help but to see in my mind’s eye all of the creative, new, dynamic, bold solutions that may come into being when people start sharing their talents freely with each other.
When the focus truly is on the entire earth, rather than on this culturally or nationally specific area of the world, just imagine what a wonderful place this could become for all of humanity…