Those of us who don't have children or don't believe in some of the eastern philosophies, might not be able to understand this statement completely, but "it's not about me." While philosophically we may try to live with this mantra in the back of our heads, since most of us only have to answer to other adults and maybe domesticated animals, one can easily slip up and be selfish without much consequence.
I stayed with my brother for 5 days last week. My sister-in-law and he had a baby girl 6 weeks prematurely last month, so they have a new member of the family. The attention, sacrifice, and "it's about you" attitude shown to their newest family member, and everyone else in the house, was amazing.
We childless people should learn from these special people called good parents. Next time we're out and about, perform a selfless act. If you normally talk over your friends or spouse, let them express themselves, unadulterated. If you normally text while someone is telling you a story, hold off until they are finished, you might learn something. If someone shares a story of a tough time in their life with you, don't try to one up the story, listen and give them, if not your understanding and sympathy, your ear. In our fast paced, “me” centric world, it's easy to lose sight of how important the people we interact with every day are.
Thank you family for putting this simple idea into the forefront of my mind. It’s so easy to lose track of what is truly important.
