A person I used to be good friends with said to me once, something to the effect of, “people need to help themselves, that’s helping others.”

His comment was in response to an article of Waylon’s I had shared on Facebook, the details of which I forget. He seemed to have a negative personal reaction to the article, and I wondered why.

To him, the article suggested we must always lend a hand to helping others, even those outside our circles of closeness and influence, if we were to be thought of as living fruitfully and authentically. This was something he had a problem with.

But why? I wondered.

Almost a year later, and my mind has come back to that comment. I no longer am friends with that person. I think, as it became clear to the both of us that we have too much history rooted in responding with sarcasm to one another’s viewpoints, it was perhaps best that we part ways. A part of me is still sad over having lost a good friend, but another part of me is at peace with the notion we are both happier without the other’s condescension respective of individual’s beliefs.

There is a lot of truth in the comment itself—after all, who are we to judge what others outside of ourselves need?

If we work on keeping ourselves happy, healthy and productive we are leading by example. Modeling is a powerful learning tool for the observer and for the modeler. Both can learn how to respect themselves and others in the process. Both can learn where and how to apply themselves, and also discern where their efforts and influence are not needed.

By looking through objective eyes at my own life I can see much clearer, where I am needed and where I want to be. I can also see when I have placed my energy where it had no business being. The cycle of the soul may not deal in time and space, but here on Earth, time is an effective measurement for our revolution.

If we continuously put our energy into things that aren’t very important to us, we take away time from those people, activities and causes that are.

We must go within and find what we love and further it. That is our one true mission.

The truth is, when you find that place inside and bring it out into the world, your circle grows and your influence widens. Then and only then will you be able to inspire others to grow, since you are living proof of the benefit in following your heart judiciously with mindful attention and earnest actions to further a dream born out of love.

Below is a poem inspired by my daily observations of a NYC panhandler, which prompted me to reflect back on my own way of life and get in touch with what resides inside of my heart today.

 

You put your hands out

I see them
I know you.
I close my heart off
To protect what I love too.
Every day
You speak in a different voice
Man the same position
Arrive at the same choice.
I don’t know your story
Your ills, are not mine to worry
Over, and it pains me to say it
But life is hard, ain’t it?
All about survival and stay fit?

I would go to war for you
If I had to but
I have children to feed,
Rent to pay,
And work hard for the money I earn
To get me from A to B
For the chance to do it all over.
At the end of the day
It’s not for me to say what you need.
At the end of the day
It’s not for me to judge my day’s deeds.

At the end of the day
I try my best to nurture these little seeds,
Nothing more
Than scores
Of raw observation
And obscure connections
Between the past and present.

Not too long ago
The child in me
Begged every which way
For something from someone.

Not too long ago
The adult in me
Realized the choice was mine,
Know what I need
Go out and find.
I try to stay patient,
Non attachment
Non judgment,
Neutrality and love,
Float around with everyone
Place my family above.
The lover inside of me knows to teach my children to generously share.
The realist inside of me knows to be conservative with my monetary contributions, not my social causes.

The wise man inside of me
That surfaces in my good moments knows I have been every man I have ever judged.
It’s a long windy road to the site of eternal love.

 

 

Relephant:

How Community Helped My Family Escape Homelessness. {photos}

 

 

Author: Joseph J Treubig

Assistant Editor: JoJo Rowden / Editor: Renee Picard 

Photo: via Imgur