Step 18 – Returning the Mail

now, this is going to sound like a rather strange and esoteric subject to some.

but what is “returning the mail”?

good question. Glad you asked. Now, I perceive of the world as a whole bunch of interactions. There are people in the world, and animals, but what really defines life is the interactions we have. Now, to me, there are two basic interactions we can participate in:

1. we can be giving (whether literally, in the case of giving someone an object) or perhaps giving in the sense of emotional support, or just plain old speaking. We are projecting ourselves out there.

2. or we can be receiving. Here we are at the other end of the interaction. The receiving can also be a form of ‘taking’ sometimes; for those who are of a selfish bent. But in most cases, we act as the recipient, and are grateful.

now for the flow of life to work, we can’t always be in the receiving mode. As a child we benefit immensely from our parents` love, because we are vulnerable and still learning. But as we grow older, the balance of the interactions changes, and we start to realise what we can offer to the world. We start ‘giving’.

now for me, ‘returning the mail’ means sending back into the world all the love we have received. Not hoarding it up, dwelling on it, being entranced by it. We have reaped the full benefits of others` free givings; it is up to us to give it back.

And not necessarily to the ones who gave it to us. Find those in need, then pass the mail onto them. They will read the message inside, and be over-joyed!

scored for clarinet, oboe, and cello

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