Inspiration
Daily
Awakenings
Creative
Sidelines
Movies
of
the Mind
Tombstone Epitaphs
Books
DAMN
Unhappy?
The Author
About Jim
Question 17: "I'm the responsible type. I'm constantly helping my aging mother to the point where I sometimes resent it. I know it's a blessing in some ways, but I'm so extreme about it I suffer from overwork or guilt for not doing my duty. What should I change?"
Kiro:
Even good things like helping others, when taken too far,
can make us unhappy so we lose peace of mind.
Being too responsible for others makes living big job
rather than enjoyable opportunity.
People who take helping others too far can feel used
and resentful toward those they serve.
When they feel used and resentful, they fall out of balance,
so they need to make correction.
What is correction? They need to take care of themselves
as much as they take care of others.Serving your mother and serving yourself are
both forms of responsibility.
To achieve more balance, be as responsible
about taking care of yourself as you do your mother.When you feel duty to take care of yourself and her,
you will learn that you are as valuable as she is.
When you take time to care for your needs,
you will not be as resentful about caring for your mother's needs.
Without so much resentment, real giving,
rather than guilt and obligation, will occur.When service to your mother and to yourself are in balance,
love of mother and love of yourself will find secure footing.