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animelov
14 Dec 2018

What’s funny is, in writing this now, I’m on my fourth rewrite. Each time this ends up being several paragraphs too long, going on several tangents Family Guy-style and missing my own point. But if there was something I’d want to tell my younger self, it’s to take to heart a quote that I heard when I was younger. If you haven’t figured out by my handle, I’m a fan of anime, and one show that has stuck with me for the longest time is Neon Genesis Evangelion. In one episode, a new lead character is introduced and moves into the small apartment of the others, and like other stereotypical brash characters, she’s complaining, particularly of the thin Japanese-style sliding doors. The host of the apartment pops in to state, “The Japanese way is to consider the priorities and needs of others before one’s own,” meaning that the openness of the room is way to connect with everyone else. Spoiler, but in the end, it’s when she starts thinking about others that things ultimately start turning to the better for her, ultimately sacrificing her life for others.

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So, to make this short and sweet, take care of others first. Everyone says karma is a…well…negative thing, but it can also be good. Making sure that your friends and family are taken care of and that they have what they need should come before yourself. In the end, when you are the one that needs the help, well…good karma will have a way of coming back to you. And never EVER keep track of favors you’ve done for others. “The only time you should be looking at your neighbor’s bowl is to make sure that they have enough.”

Anonymous
  • over 4 years ago

    Pure love is charity.  When you serve others there is no higher form of respect for them and charity toward them.   No charity is not for the less fortunate or only those in need.  Sometimes we have bad days and need a friendly pickup, that is service, that is love, that is charity...  Looking out for others we learn to be humble, honorable and happy.  

    Nice writing regardless of how many times it took you.   Great work. 

  • over 4 years ago

    And never EVER keep track of favors you’ve done for others

    So much this. I learned a long time ago that the only person I ever need to keep score with is myself. I'm definitely not the most altruistic, but I do try to help others when I can, and I find it's a heck of a lot easier when the motivation comes organically.

    It brings up a conundrum I've often tried to ponder (unsuccessfully thus far):

    If you provide charitable works without a desire for a tangible benefit (like resume/cv points when you're in college), but purely out of the want to help others, you are generally motivated by the feeling(s) you get. But, isn't that in itself selfish? If the motivation to help others is driven by feelings that make you happier, then isn't that happiness a tangible benefit in and of itself?

    Not that there's anything wrong with that at all. There's NEVER anything wrong with making yourself happy when it doesn't cause anyone else harm. Just one of those questions that you can get lost in from time to time. emoticons_happy.png

  • over 4 years ago

    "And never EVER keep track of favors you’ve done for others."

    This is the part a lot of people have problems with. Also, doing things for others becomes doing things for yourself when it gets placed on your YouTube channel.

  • over 4 years ago

    I was always taught to live by the standard of "Due onto others as you would want others to do onto you".

    All of the comments take the same directive.  If all of us could only live by it!!

  • over 4 years ago

    While I do agree that the world needs a lot less selfishness, I would say that you also need to take care of yourself like other commenters say here.

    As always a good balance is the key to .... balance emoticons_wink.png

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