Feeding · Authentc Men

Feeding

“Every moment of light and dark is a miracle. Each miracle nourishes the soul if you let it.”

– Walt Whitman

Who do I feed?

I think we typically all spend our lives trying to do right by others and to grow. I have come to realize that I can justify being a good person when I help others and frankly I have built a career around helping those who struggle and cannot do it on their own. This sounds like a noble career and much of it was, but it is easy to fall into a self-conviction of my own goodness. It is true that it is altruistic to have something to give to those in need, however, what I got back fed an aching soul.

Lost in my own goodness I can allow myself to be seen in a bright light by others and therefore never need to defend my value. Recognizing my own pain returns me to humanity, allows me to be one with those I work with and in seeing their value I find my own. I yearn to be loved to feel that soft place of comfort with no judgement and complete understanding. My mistake is pursuing this love through others. The reality I have come to know is that the love I seek must be given by me to me. It is as simple as the inhale of love so that I can exhale love.

Feeding my soul through the energy of others will always leave me wanting. Do we all love with the hope of being loved? If I can fulfill my own need for love within my own sense of self then all that I give away is from abundance. It is pure. It has no baggage or requirement attached. It assumes that others deserve love because they breathe air as do I.

Where in your life are you most likely to give? What is the reward? How do you provide reward to yourself so that others owe you nothing?

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