Is It Worth It?
With three kinds of responses to a very general question, “Is it worth it?” that was posted in the LightShare e-Mail List Group, we start our section named after the question itself. Responses to this question invariably counterpose a pair of options to choose from, whether agonizingly or instantly. The choice indicates which urges and which possible consequences rate higher in the person’s very own hierarchy of values.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It Depends…
By Surf C. Reyes
[Filmmaker and Filmmaking educator Surf is president of Laboratory on Value Education (LOVE) Foundation and active member of LightShare e-Group.]
WHAT is "worth it" totally depends on choice of purpose, objective, intent. Without being crystal clear on this, there can be no enlightened answer to the question, "Is it worth it?"
To one who consciously chooses to have as objective, spiritual growth, or learning who he really is and what his purpose here on earth is, the question "Is it worth it?" is more precisely, "What good will it do my soul?" This question is avoiding doing something that could be counter-productive, or that which only furthers separative ego-centeredness, or ignorance of the soul as the real Self.
= = = = = = =
In unconditional love,
everything’s worth it.…
= = = = = = =
"What good will it do my soul?" is a question to be answered before making any To one who consciously chooses to have as objective, spiritual growth, or learning who he really is and what his purpose here on earth is, the question "Is it worth it?" is more precisely, "What good will it do my soul?" This question is avoiding doing something that could be counter-productive, or that which only furthers separative ego-centeredness, or ignorance of the soul as the real Self.
"What good will it do my soul?" is a question to be answered before making any choice: before choosing to be impatient or intolerant, before condemning or judging, before regretting or worrying, before attacking or defending, before wanting to have and struggling and manipulating to get, before complaining, harboring ill will and being unforgiving, before choosing to be attached to anything in this world, from material things, habits, opi-nions, power, etc.
The question, "What good will it do ‘my soul’?" (Is it worth it?) is like a beam of light that would shine on any shadow objective of purely separative ego gratification, expansion and aggrandizement, or of further securing the blindfold of separative ego attachment (which is the essence of being reactionary).
The question triggers a remembering of the answer within the silent stillness, the space between peaks in the vibration of energy (Shyam's “eternal momentary pause”), a regaining of the awareness of spiritual purpose, intent, will... where arise discernment and response-ability.
From the heart, in the name of unconditional love, everything is worth it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No, It's Not Worth It!
By Emmanuel Astillero
[A member of LightShare e-Group and a doctoral candidate on Applied Cosmic Anthropology at the Asian Social Institute (ASI) in Manila.]
THE phrase "is it worth it?” is very useful, I think. I have backed out of several potentially upsetting encounters be cause I thought it was not worth it, like disagreeing and even exchanging barbed e-mails with our team leader in one project I joined. But after a few sharp exchanges, I was the one who withdrew from the arena of battle because I realized "it was not worth" losing a long friendship and the cause of disagreement was only money -- delayed payments.
..........I have also given way to my wife a great number of times, letting her have the proverbial last word because when I come to think of it, it is not worth arguing the point.
..........There are more important things to be concerned with. As a couple we have great examples of disagreements such as when to leave for the province during weekends.
As a lesson in "it's not worth it," I have stopped setting the hour for weekend departures or asking whether we are about to go or not. I found out that it insults my wife and my internet surfing, and then stand up and go when she's fit and ready.
Now we no longer have such disagreements! There are still many other fields for these, but gradually I have realized "it's not worth it."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yes, It's Definitely Worth It!
By Shyam Tony Reyes
[A member of LightShare e-Group and SanibLakas Foundation, Shyam is part of an Ashram community in California, USA.]
THIS UNUSUALLY very windy morning in Los Angeles, I had to drop off an asthma-relief inhaler at my 13-year-old daughter's school. She had recently been having some asthma attacks triggered by running during her first period, P.E.. I had just come out of the nurse's office—right at the time the students were all coming into their classes—and was walking towards my car in the school-front parking lot when a strong gust of wind blew through.
Towards my left, about 80 yards away, I saw a girl's book blow open and a whole bunch of paper which I assumed was homework was scattered up the clear blue sky, out towards the parking lot and onwards to the street.
As I ran to the street to try to catch what I could, I noticed a lady walking fast and she caught some herself. It turns out she is the girl's teacher and she was helping her student.
As I walked back toward that last line of students going into their classroom, she came up and asked me if I was retrieving for the girl. I said "Yes" and she took it from me and walked to her classroom.
...Based on what I saw flying, I knew there was more, so I looked around for more. It was good that all the traffic of parents’ cars and school buses were gone and it was safe and easier for me to spot flying papers on a clean street. I did catch another one, multiple papers stapled together, and ran back to the classroom entrance.
It was a joy to see the grateful look of the girl still trying to gather up her other papers and notebooks. She politely thanked me.
On my way back to my car, I saw a couple more pieces of homework which I took back to her. I f e l t her sense of relief and gratitude. The consequences of losing homework for the day must have been racing in her mind.
I felt her being pleasantly surprised that someone she did not know took the time out to chase down her papers and saved her day.
Was it worth it to stop and help another in need? YES! Definitely, YES!!! Ahhh, the bliss of unconditional service! It feeds our soul and nurtures a radiant social and personal health.
No comments:
Post a Comment