Mirror please - I just dunno...

[Al Today]

I was writing a reply in the Kittens Under Our Deck thread and I am wondering about something. I would appreciate any views on this situation.
Below is what I wrote. Decided to cut and paste it into this new thread.

Can you not intervene in some way? Take the cat to the humane society, or, if you have funds, get her spayed? It's just going to continue unless someone does something.

Yes, we know this. My wife is going to get momma kitten fixed. If my wife finds the baby kittens are on our property, she will get them fixed also. We have a great cat haven, rescue organization here which we help out, and use. I cannot intervene with the "herd" of cats next door. Our dogs and male cats keep them away for the most part. But since our guys are getting old, more and more cats are infiltrating our perimeter. We have have discussed what can be done, but there is really no hard definition of neglect occurring. The "herd" next door do get fed, although meagerly, and water is everywhere. The "herd" lives outside and roam freely. Almost a situation like feral cats... But there are no mice, moles, and whatnot around... We struggle about starting a "war" with our neighbors who otherwise are nice folk.

edit: The best idea that we came up with is get a couple new puppies that will keep them away. Perhaps our older dogs can teach the puppies. We are thinking...

Okay, good. I figured that you wouldn't just stand by if there was something you could do. From the way you wrote it, I was unsure - so thanks for the clarification.

I don't want to hijack this thread but since I jumped in, I'm very bothered by something I have now seen in myself.

I do all I can for something that crosses my path. Like the kittens. But I do not go out of my way to be of service. This is how I am. If presented with something close to me, in my face or within reach, I will do "good". But I will not go out looking for doing "good".

Is there something not "good" within me? Should I go out looking to do "good"? Because I don't. But when something is in my path, I will act accordingly. I will & do offer everything I have. I do not go out looking to give what I have to strangers.

There are many mitigating factors on why I am this way. I figure excuses are a dime a dozen, pick a number and I can give you an excuse as to why I no longer am of service at soup kitchens and such. I use to go out all the time in my Mormon days. Now... I figure all have their paths, and besides, I have my own problems and NOBODY helps me. EXCEPT YOU GUYS of course...

Mirrors welcome.


edit: correct words spell check don't catch, again... :P

 

[Mountain Crown]

[quote author=Al Today]But when something is in my path, I will act accordingly. I will & do offer everything I have.[/quote]

This sounds like giving when asked.

I do not go out looking to give what I have to strangers.

If you decide it’s important, maybe what first needs to be done is to determine how strangers outside your normal sphere are asking for help that you can provide. I suspect this will be somewhat different since they aren’t “in your house” so to speak.

There’s always the option to assist those that are already fulfilling those needs.

Just a thought, others may have more insight.

 

[Mr. Premise]

I wouldn't worry about going around looking for good to do. That sounds like a knight in shining armor program which will tend to attract damsels in distress feminine vampires of all kinds. I think if we want to slay dragons we should slay the dragons in ourselves. My 2 cents.

 

[Aneke]

Al, I've often had similar feelings about myself--that I'm not "walking the walk". I do enough to help out whoever, or whatever, crosses my path. But I don't send money to charities, I don't volunteer for anything, I don't go out and do anything out of the ordinary.

I think that everyone has a choice in how to live their everyday, rudimentary lives. For example, I recycle and use biodegradable cleaners. If I have clothes I want to get rid of, I donate them to the shelter. My dogs are both adopted. Then I have this borderline silly habit of always putting bugs outside if I find them in the house. Not everybody has to go out and serve food at soup kitchens to do something good for the world. We can each do it in our own way and still make a difference.

Also, I believe that while sometimes things just happen, other times things happen for a reason. Situations will present themselves to you. Perhaps these hold greater meaning for you than just going out and searching for something "good" to do. Like you said, everyone has their path. Paths do cross.

 

[Al Today]

Thanks you All.

Maybe I just have seen some "Do Gooder" program that gives me strokes to the ego. Go "Do Good" so I can puff out my chest and say "Look at Me". I Do Good... Ugh... This used to be the way I was.

Maybe? Probably... All in all, this is a distraction of emotion. This came on fast, out of the blue. Someone methinks is trying to make me feel bad...

And "I" see no reason to feel bad. Interesting how all these little 'i's work...

 

[Buddy]

[quote author=Al Today]
...when something is in my path, I will act accordingly. I will & do offer everything I have. I do not go out looking to give what I have to strangers.[/quote]

Same here.

[quote author=Al Today]
Should I go out looking to do "good"?[/quote]

I don't see how it is possible to "do good" in those terms without being in a self-referencing feedback loop. That would be strictly STS as I see it. As far as I can tell, that part of us that is based in imagination is what needs those kinds of feedback loops. How else could this "I" feed if not to have its existence on display and acknowledged?

Seems like, even from a systems view, once we see how mechanically the whole system runs, we can get some inner, and perhaps a higher, sense of joy from doing Work for its own sake - because of what it contributes to the system - which your essence is connected to and thus a part of as well, OSIT.

 

[stellar]

I do all I can for something that crosses my path. Like the kittens. But I do not go out of my way to be of service. This is how I am. If presented with something close to me, in my face or within reach, I will do "good". But I will not go out looking for doing "good".



Mirrors welcome.


edit: correct words spell check don't catch, again... :P
[/quote]

FWIW I think that if you go looking to do 'good' as you put it, it looks like you are looking for things to change/control that you have not been asked to do.An STS action, I think.

 

[pete02]

Chalk me up too. I do my best to help out with the situations before me but I don't go looking to do good either. I feel this can turn into an ego program too easily and I see it almost every week in one of my coworkers. He is a religious man that believes the more he helps others and the church, the better his odds of making it to heaven but when he does these actions I can clearly see it's just feeding his ego. He feels better about himself for doing these things and he's even said so himself. The funny thing is that when others try to help him he refuses. I tried explaining to him that he is being selfish by not allowing others to help him and get that same good feeling that he gets about themselves (used an analogy that he might understand because going into STS and STO would completely lose him) but he refuses to acknowledge it. He is deeply engulfed in this particular program and feels that he is better than most and the human race needs to be more like him. It's a shame really, he is a nice guy.

 

[cassandra]

Well actually I`ve been thinking about volunteering to sign up at our Neighbourhood Help Society. For example, you can help an elderly person by doing their shopping.
I just know there are plenty of elderly people who are lonely and neglected by their families.

 

[pete02]

Okay, second thoughts...

Cassandra's post has me wondering about things we can do as opposed to looking for things to do. Maybe its just a matter of finding things we can do and doing them. I'm starting to wonder if the real program is the one saying 'just do what comes your way and forget about everything else'. I suppose it could be just my guilty conscience playing with me here cause I still have this nagging voice in the back of my head that's angry I never became an EE instructor. When I was in France all I could see was eventually becoming an instructor and starting a weekly class in Pennsylvania but once I got back to the states things got so busy for me that I convinced myself I don't have time for it and really I don't. But then I think about it and say to myself "it would only require a couple of hours a week" or every other week for that matter.

I could think of no one else that does more than Laura, the crew and many others (how do they find the time for it all I'll never know) but all they ask in return is that we do what we can. So why do I find it so easy to just donate and go about my business like everything's okay? Indeed this has turned into a tricky topic for me Al because I can now see that the programming works in both ways. To keep me from helping others is just as much STS programming as it is to help others just to make myself feel better. Either way I lose and so do the other potential people I could help. The only answer I can think of is to find something that I can do to help others and keep it from feeding my ego. Even if it's just to spread the word about EE as opposed to teaching it (for now anyway).

 

[cassandra]

Actually this post reminds me of my brother-in-law. One of his good qualities is that if you ask him a favour, he`ll be there if he possibly can.
He is one of the very few people who doesn't care a rap for your gratitude. He just does it.

 

[Al Today]

I don't see how it is possible to "do good" in those terms without being in a self-referencing feedback loop. That would be strictly STS as I see it.

Yep, I used to live that way. Feeding my ego with "doing good". Getting on a soapbox and exhorting others to "do good". Amazing how I look back on those days and "see" i am no longer that person.

 

[Al Today]

He is a religious man that believes the more he helps others and the church, the better his odds of making it to heaven but when he does these actions I can clearly see it's just feeding his ego.

Yep, a "good" person, although ignorant in thinking an outside source is gonna save him. That monotheism garbage really has this world all screwed up. Not realizing he has to Work on himself and nobody else is gonna do it for him. We all have our Lessons to Learn, and they must be Learned to progress. But otherwise a nice guy. I can think back and understand how he "feels".

 

[Al Today]

Indeed this has turned into a tricky topic for me Al because I can now see that the programming works in both ways.

Yup, yes it does. To a point I think Being of service to help others of physical needs IS good. Methinks it is the attitude one has in being in service that matters. Like praying in public, or in your closet. Intent from the heart? Or being a public display for selfish benefit...

 

[Al Today]

He is one of the very few people who doesn't care a rap for your gratitude. He just does it.

Methinks it does come down to attitude and intent without receiving benefit...