When my siblings and I were children we received an allowance. It came once a week, usually on Saturday afternoon, after our chores were done. Understanding the wisdom of my parents now, this was to ensure that we did our chores without too much prodding. So after the beds were made and the bathroom, which was my job to do, was scrubbed and everything else that was on the list of chores to do was done, we would them go to our parents, hands out stretched to receive our allowance. The amount varied according to our ages. I started out at 35 cents. This would allow me to purchase 35 pieces of penny candy. “Oh my God” I was in heaven.
Let me ask you this, when was the last time you received an allowance? Not quite sure well, lets check the definition, an allowance is as defined:
Let me ask you this, when was the last time you received an allowance? Not quite sure well, lets check the definition, an allowance is as defined:
- A small sum of money paid regularly by parents to a child so that the child can make his or her own purchases.
- An allowance could also be a budgeted amount of something given out at regular intervals or for a specific purpose. Or a toleration.
- The allowing of something to happen, the tolerating of it.
Now for the purposes of this loaf, this food for thought, I would like to focus on the last definition. Toleration: the allowing of something to happen, or the toleration of it. You see, as responsible adults most of us no longer receive an allowance from our parents or anyone else for that matter. We are, or should be amply motivated to do what need be done with out the prodding or bribing of an allowance.
Still allowances are needed in life and it is now up to us to allow ourselves. Allowances enable, motivate or permit something to happen. I fear that far too many of us are still psychologically waiting for an allowance, waiting for permission before we allow ourselves to check us off of our to-do list.
Many of us seem to be waiting for permission or an allowance to live the best lives possible, to live the lives of our dreams of our desires. But it is up to us to permit this. What will it take for you to allow yourself? Unfortunately for some it is a devastating disease. For others it is a death, the loss of a loved one. Some find an allowance at the end of a job or career and then there are those for whom an allowance is found at the end of the road.
Still allowances are needed in life and it is now up to us to allow ourselves. Allowances enable, motivate or permit something to happen. I fear that far too many of us are still psychologically waiting for an allowance, waiting for permission before we allow ourselves to check us off of our to-do list.
Many of us seem to be waiting for permission or an allowance to live the best lives possible, to live the lives of our dreams of our desires. But it is up to us to permit this. What will it take for you to allow yourself? Unfortunately for some it is a devastating disease. For others it is a death, the loss of a loved one. Some find an allowance at the end of a job or career and then there are those for whom an allowance is found at the end of the road.
But allowances need not wait when we allow things to happen. We need not find ourselves at wits ends in order to permit, we need not die in order to live. We need simply to allow it, for I have found that once we allow or permit ourselves the world will acquiesce.
It is a often seen as being selfish. And selfish is of course a dirty word. Yes, we are taught that the looking after own desires, the being concerned with your own interests, needs and wishes while ignoring those of others is self-absorbed, conceited, self-seeking, mercenary, self-interested, egotistical, self-regarding, pompous, egocentric, arrogant and haughty. But I’m thinking we should give ourselves an allowance to redefine selfish. You see, I have often found that we are often labeled selfish when we are not doing what someone else wants us to do. And there seems to be a never ending list of things that other feel should be done by us.
But you see, this is what I know so far;
In our attempts to avoid being seen as selfish we have overlooked the root of the word, which is is little more than a characteristic of the word.
So if we allow others the accredited us, if we find our self-worth at the end of a long list that does not include us, a list which we have worked with little or no regard to our selves, our dreams, our plans, our lives, our health, we are not selfish. No, we are foolish.
It is a often seen as being selfish. And selfish is of course a dirty word. Yes, we are taught that the looking after own desires, the being concerned with your own interests, needs and wishes while ignoring those of others is self-absorbed, conceited, self-seeking, mercenary, self-interested, egotistical, self-regarding, pompous, egocentric, arrogant and haughty. But I’m thinking we should give ourselves an allowance to redefine selfish. You see, I have often found that we are often labeled selfish when we are not doing what someone else wants us to do. And there seems to be a never ending list of things that other feel should be done by us.
But you see, this is what I know so far;
In our attempts to avoid being seen as selfish we have overlooked the root of the word, which is is little more than a characteristic of the word.
So if we allow others the accredited us, if we find our self-worth at the end of a long list that does not include us, a list which we have worked with little or no regard to our selves, our dreams, our plans, our lives, our health, we are not selfish. No, we are foolish.
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