Have you ever stopped and taken a real hard look at the world we live in? Ever notice that the general trend now is…”Get as much for yourself as possible. Screw everyone else”? I’m pretty certain that everyone has at least seen, if not experienced this particular attitude.
The next Heroic Trait is one that I think most people don’t even want to acknowledge exists. I’m talking about Selflessness.
Let’s again, get on the same page and figure out what Selfless means. Mr. Webster? Can you please give us your typically inadequate definition of the word?
Here we go…
Selfless - having no concern for self. Yes sir…that about settles it. Ok…until tomorrow! See ya… :-)
What the hell?? Can’t this guy come up with anything better than that? Selfless means not self. DUH! But what about the attitudes, feelings, benefits, blessings, and other wonderful things that go along with this trait?
Let’s work our own definition…we seem to do a bit better that way. :-)
Selfless…a state of being where another’s needs and desires are placed in higher priority than your own.
So…why in the world would we want to put someone else’s needs and wants before our own? That doesn’t sound very fun. After all, aren’t I supposed to be taking care of myself? Who is going to do that if I’m spending all my time taking care of other people????
I know that we’ve all thought this at some point. Be honest. You have. And you know what? It’s OK that you thought that. However, ACTING solely on those thoughts isn’t OK. Why?
Being selfless is an act of humanity and compassion. It also tends to help you to face the situations of others and be able to empathize a bit better. You take on the burdens for a while and ease the load that they are under. I think that this is one of the Heroic Traits that has the most immediate, obvious, “Hero response”. When you are selflessly giving and helping another, for the moment, you become a hero to them. Even if they never express it in those terms.
Let’s pull some examples from some known heroes…
King Leonidas – Everyone should be familiar with this story, given the movie 300. He and his band of Spartans marched against overwhelming odds; knowing that they were not coming home, He gave his very life for the safety of his family and his people. Without complaint or concern.
Robin Hood – Took on the burdens of his people and became a hunted outlaw to fight against injustice. He took this on willingly, gathering others to him that were willing to share the burden too.
These examples, while definitely extreme, show that Selflessness is indeed a Heroic Trait. There isn’t a hero in legend, or even today, that operates from a selfish base. Heroism doesn’t concern itself with the needs of the individual, but rather with the needs of the whole. Selflessness doesn’t think of itself, and doesn’t raise a voice in consternation with the burdens that it takes on.
I guess that’s the biggest thing that I see in people that claim to be Selfless. Sure, they take on other’s burdens and do place others before themselves, but it seems that there is always complaint or some negative dialogue to go along with it. THAT is not being Selfless. The attitude of Selflessness is that or willing service and sacrifice. That’s what makes it a Heroic Trait. You see…when it comes down to it and a hero is in a “put up or shut up” moment…they rise to the occasion and do what is needed. And they don’t BITCH about it! They take it in stride and know that what had to be done; was done.
That’s another thing. A hero rises at the right time. Selflessness, adopted as a way of life, becomes useless. If taken too far, it creates a person that is unable to do anything for themselves. At that point, being selfless is NOT a Heroic Trait, it’s a curse. It will forever keep a person from growing and becoming a true hero, or anything else for that matter. So, it’s important to know when to rise to the occasion.
Let’s start out small, look for opportunities to practice. Do it with your family and close friends. It may feel awkward at first, but that’s because you might not have used those muscles in a long time, if ever. Be keep working it, until it becomes a part of you, natural to the point where you don’t think about it.
And don’t worry…I’m here to help…encourage…and if you want practice…I got a list of things you can help with. :-)
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