A Thought for the Week
"Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more." ~ H. Jackson Brown
"Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared." ~ Buddha
"Unless we think of others and do something for them, we miss one of the greatest sources of happiness" ~ Ray L. Wilbur Image by Le Petit Poulailler
"Unless we think of others and do something for them, we miss one of the greatest sources of happiness" ~ Ray L. Wilbur Image by Le Petit Poulailler
"Consciously or unconsciously, everyone of us does render some service or another. If we cultivate the habit of doing this service deliberately, our desire for service will steadily grow stronger, and it will make not only for our own happiness, but that of the world at large." ~ Mahatma Ghandi
The quote that you published here from H Jackson Brown is food for thought. Over the weekend, I was observing a group of volunteers hard at work in a non-profit organization. They were very busy. A couple of them are my friends. I noted that while they have been giving a lot to society, they are not inwardly happy. They were hoping that keeping busy plus contributing to society can ease their personal suffering. They were more about the doing, than the being. At the same time, it is obvious to me that those who are self centered, do not know true happiness.
Posted by: Evelyn Lim | May 12, 2009 at 02:32 AM
That's a really interesting point Eveyln. I was just re-reading The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success last night, and on the law of giving and receiving Chopra points out that our intention is the most important thing.
Giving in order to receive does not generate the energy we might hope for. It is when we experience joy in the very act of giving, for its own sake, that we generate an energy that multiplies and attracts that joy back to us. So, as you pointed out, it's all about our way of being, while still doing of course. Enjoying the act of giving, and appreciating the ability to make a contribution, rather than focusing on what rewards might come to us.
Posted by: Hilda | May 12, 2009 at 02:01 PM
Hi Hilda,
I love all of these quotes, and especially the second one about the candle. How true. Just because we're sharing what we have (happiness here today!) doesn't mean we'll have any less. It's a great thought to remember and keep focus on an abundance mentality instead of a scarcity mentality. Thank you, Hilda, for sharing your light with me today...
Posted by: Lance | May 16, 2009 at 09:06 PM
Hi Lance,
I'm so glad you liked them. And great point about focusing on abundance consciouness rather than scarcity. This is something I need to remind myself quite regularly, which is one of the reasons why I enjoy putting these thoughts together : )
Posted by: Hilda | May 18, 2009 at 01:05 PM