“True relationships with others decenter the self.”

A thought by Leonard Sweet, (2012-03-13) from his book, What Matters Most: How We Got the Point but Missed the Person (Kindle Locations 2627-2628). Random House, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

I wonder if one of the major problems we have at making a commitment with someone else is because we have to lessen the love of our life which is ourselves. And there is so much we have to give up in order to do that.

I have been noticing again what it means for a couple to have a new baby come to live with them. I mean that other person demands that you decenter yourself. To those of us who are married and those of us who are parents it is totally worth it.

And to those whose relationships are all based upon themself and those whose children take second place in their world they have totally missed out on the beauty, excitement and adventure of life with someone else.

I am sorry; if I am the love of my life then I have deprived my life from really living. There is nothing that I have given up to be a husband, to be a father that I have regretted. The relationships that I have at Starbucks are worth the getting up early and walking down even in rain to see them, to talk with them even for just a moment. Relationships are worth the effort. What I have given away has been given back to me a hundred fold.

What about you?

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“Hurry and love are incompatible.”

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A thought by Timothy Keller (2016-10-25) from his book, Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ (p. 21). Penguin Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I’m glad you stopped to catch a glimpse of what this thought really means. Tim says, “Advice is counsel about what you must do. News is a report about what has already been done. Advice urges you to make something happen. News urges you to recognize something that has already happened and to respond to it. Advice says it is all up to you to act. News says someone else has acted.” He then gives an illustration, “Let’s say there is an invading army coming toward a town. What that town needs is military advisers; it needs advice. Someone should explain that the earthworks and trenches should go over there, the marksmen go up there, and the tanks must go down there.” That’s advice He goes on, “However, if a great king has intercepted and ...

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