...........
Last night Steve got another flat tire on the way home from hurling practice (this is the second flat tire he's got in the last 2 weeks). Luckily he was able to air it up enough to make it home. Once he got home he went outside to change it and our sweet neighbor came out insistent that she call AAA and have them come change it.
Steve is not only completely capable of changing the tire on his own, but if we wanted to we could have called AAA ourselves, as we also are members. It was so sweet and cute how our neighbor really wanted us to use the service that "she pays for but never uses" and after her suggesting it more than 5 times Steve finally gave in and figured it was important to her that we let her help us out, even though we didn't really need it. It was so sweet and thoughtful, but made me sad for her. Her elderly father passed away last month and I think she wanted to feel needed by someone because she used to help him out so much.
It was just a good reminder to me that sometimes people need to feel needed and that's okay. Most of the time when others sacrifice for me it makes me feel bad, but it's because I'm forgetting that by allowing them to love on us we're making them feel loved, appreciated and needed. So many times I forget that not everyone is like me and feels love the same way I do. One of the most useful books I have ever read is The Five Love Languages. It was actually written for couples, and has not only enriched my marriage, but actually has also enriched my relationships with all of the people that I love. It's basically all about finding out how others like to give and receive love and then speaking their "love language" in your relationship - whether it be by encouraging words, quality time spent together, acts of service, physical touch or by giving (or receiving) a gift.
Anyway, all of this got me thinking and just makes me want to be more aware of how others give and receive love, so that I can allow them to be who they are rather than just ignorantly think that everyone speaks the same "love language" that I do. So many times it's easy to forget that just because we think and act a certain way doesn't mean that everyone else thinks and acts that same way. It's good to be reminded from time to time that's it's not all about me, but more about me being aware of others. Sometimes I can be really selfish and forget that, but I really want to change that in me. I have a feeling that one's going to be a life-long learning curve though. :)
Steve is not only completely capable of changing the tire on his own, but if we wanted to we could have called AAA ourselves, as we also are members. It was so sweet and cute how our neighbor really wanted us to use the service that "she pays for but never uses" and after her suggesting it more than 5 times Steve finally gave in and figured it was important to her that we let her help us out, even though we didn't really need it. It was so sweet and thoughtful, but made me sad for her. Her elderly father passed away last month and I think she wanted to feel needed by someone because she used to help him out so much.
It was just a good reminder to me that sometimes people need to feel needed and that's okay. Most of the time when others sacrifice for me it makes me feel bad, but it's because I'm forgetting that by allowing them to love on us we're making them feel loved, appreciated and needed. So many times I forget that not everyone is like me and feels love the same way I do. One of the most useful books I have ever read is The Five Love Languages. It was actually written for couples, and has not only enriched my marriage, but actually has also enriched my relationships with all of the people that I love. It's basically all about finding out how others like to give and receive love and then speaking their "love language" in your relationship - whether it be by encouraging words, quality time spent together, acts of service, physical touch or by giving (or receiving) a gift.
Anyway, all of this got me thinking and just makes me want to be more aware of how others give and receive love, so that I can allow them to be who they are rather than just ignorantly think that everyone speaks the same "love language" that I do. So many times it's easy to forget that just because we think and act a certain way doesn't mean that everyone else thinks and acts that same way. It's good to be reminded from time to time that's it's not all about me, but more about me being aware of others. Sometimes I can be really selfish and forget that, but I really want to change that in me. I have a feeling that one's going to be a life-long learning curve though. :)
Labels: lessons
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home