20 June 2020 — THERE’S ALWAYS SOMEONE WORSE OFF THAN ONE’S SELF

Helpful advice? Advice which helps put one’s own problems into perspective? OR, is it merely advice which is unnecessary and unhelpful because it states the obvious — that which we already know.

Perhaps the answer is THAT IT CAN BE BOTH.

Sometimes, when all we feel we need is a little compassion and understanding, to be reminded that there are many more people worse off than ourselves, is NOT helpful. At other times when we are being self indulgent it may be what we NEED if not what we DESIRE.

I am reminded of a saying ‘Love thee one another as thee love thyself’. A saying which points to the fact that in order to have compassion for others we must first have compassion for ourselves.

Perhaps there is a fine line separating compassion for ourselves and self indulgence. and sometimes it can be helpful to be reminded by others that there are indeed many people worse off than ourselves.

Our TRUE friends, perhaps, are those friends who can empathise and sympathise with us when we need understanding but are wise enough and brave enough to point out all the positive things in our lives when they feel we are being self indulgent and remind us that there are many people worse off than ourselves.

WE MAY BE IN THE SAME STORM BUT WE ARE NOT ALL IN THE SAME BOAT.