Now, I'm not saying this to get a pat on the back. I don't need anyone to tell me how nice it is that I did those things or that I'm a good person or whatever else, simply because I know. I know it was nice of me to help out my friends. That's why I did it. Because I care so much about the people I love, I want to do nice things for them and help them when they are in need. I was taught by two very awesome parents that that is the right thing to do.
Let's face it. Money is money and there will always be more to be made. It comes and goes. It rules our lives. But what is it really? It's paper. I would give away all my money if it meant keeping those friendships alive, and making sure those friends were doing alright.
Here's where it gets juicy.
I have been so mad lately. Dwelling on every possible negative thing. Feeling bad for myself, thinking I do all these nice things for people and no one can ever do something nice for me in return. I question my belief that what goes around comes around. Why was I trying so hard to help others and no one would help me?
I'm talking small, stupid things like no one covering my shifts at work when I always say yes to covering others' shifts. Cleaning my whole house by myself and waking up to dishes all over the counter again. Petty things. Clearly.
But it hit me today that I am being so ridiculous. How selfish of me to continuously think that my nice acts are going unnoticed and my friends aren't doing anything nice for me in return when I'm in need.
First of all, am I blind? And second of all, that's not how it works! Karma doesn't have a rule book that says "if you do something nice, you'll get all the things you want in life." Sometimes you don't! And that's life. I'm not going to get every shift covered that I need. My house will get messy at times, and hell, I'll probably be the one to mess it up half the time. The "comes around" part happens when it happens. And that's where I have clearly been blind.
My friends are the absolute best. My bosses are pretty awesome and always have my back. My roommates are my best friends. They are there for me ALL the time. They've been giving me rides when I'm stuck at work at 3am. Buying me dinner, getting me concert tickets to shows I absolutely can't live without seeing. (Kings of Leon and Incubus in the same month. Dead.) My boss gives me awesome shifts at work so I can make money and days off that I need and so much more. And instead of focusing on all the incredible things people do for me, I've been crying over the negative things like spoiled brat.
It's no secret that I'm fairly pessimistic. I like to look at the glass as half empty, and I do it with a smile, because that's just how I like to look at the world. But wow is that depressing. It's hard to see the beauty in life when I'm toting around my half empty glass all the time. And at age 23, I probably won't change. I'm moving quickly into my adult years and I am who I am at this point. But sometimes, I just need a slap on the forehead to say "Hey! Guess what, life is pretty okay and you need to stop bitching."
Complaining is my favorite past time.
And so, I suppose I can wrap it up with a message from my own heart. I have my beliefs. They are very different from the religious ones I grew up with. (Sorry family) The idea of karma keeps me from doing things I shouldn't. Like keeping the cell phone and the $100 bill inside the phone case that I found last night. It's bad karma to steal. If someone found my phone and my $100 bill I would hope they would return it, the same way I returned the one I found. And karma reminds me to pay it forward, do nice things for others, do nice things for the world, and the world will be nice to you in return. In whatever way, shape, or form it feels like.
Do what's right, help your friends, and if you're anything like me, quit expecting things in return. It defeats the purpose.
xo, Tatum
I'm talking small, stupid things like no one covering my shifts at work when I always say yes to covering others' shifts. Cleaning my whole house by myself and waking up to dishes all over the counter again. Petty things. Clearly.
But it hit me today that I am being so ridiculous. How selfish of me to continuously think that my nice acts are going unnoticed and my friends aren't doing anything nice for me in return when I'm in need.
First of all, am I blind? And second of all, that's not how it works! Karma doesn't have a rule book that says "if you do something nice, you'll get all the things you want in life." Sometimes you don't! And that's life. I'm not going to get every shift covered that I need. My house will get messy at times, and hell, I'll probably be the one to mess it up half the time. The "comes around" part happens when it happens. And that's where I have clearly been blind.
My friends are the absolute best. My bosses are pretty awesome and always have my back. My roommates are my best friends. They are there for me ALL the time. They've been giving me rides when I'm stuck at work at 3am. Buying me dinner, getting me concert tickets to shows I absolutely can't live without seeing. (Kings of Leon and Incubus in the same month. Dead.) My boss gives me awesome shifts at work so I can make money and days off that I need and so much more. And instead of focusing on all the incredible things people do for me, I've been crying over the negative things like spoiled brat.
It's no secret that I'm fairly pessimistic. I like to look at the glass as half empty, and I do it with a smile, because that's just how I like to look at the world. But wow is that depressing. It's hard to see the beauty in life when I'm toting around my half empty glass all the time. And at age 23, I probably won't change. I'm moving quickly into my adult years and I am who I am at this point. But sometimes, I just need a slap on the forehead to say "Hey! Guess what, life is pretty okay and you need to stop bitching."
Complaining is my favorite past time.
And so, I suppose I can wrap it up with a message from my own heart. I have my beliefs. They are very different from the religious ones I grew up with. (Sorry family) The idea of karma keeps me from doing things I shouldn't. Like keeping the cell phone and the $100 bill inside the phone case that I found last night. It's bad karma to steal. If someone found my phone and my $100 bill I would hope they would return it, the same way I returned the one I found. And karma reminds me to pay it forward, do nice things for others, do nice things for the world, and the world will be nice to you in return. In whatever way, shape, or form it feels like.
Do what's right, help your friends, and if you're anything like me, quit expecting things in return. It defeats the purpose.
xo, Tatum
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