Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Guidepost Nine, or The Power of Contribution and Compensation
Past and present links to our episodes on Guidepost Eight: The Power of Contribution and Compensation
“Was the sweet guy in your book real?” she asked me.
“Which sweet guy? I wrote about a lot of sweet guys.”
“The guy at the beginning of guidepost nine,” she replied. “You know, the one who made promises that he didn’t keep.”
“Oh him,” I smiled remembering. “Yeah, he was real. He was one of my students.”
“So he wasn’t some old guy with a bad memory?”
“No, he was middle aged guy who wanted to please everyone and therefore pleased none.”
“I think we should begin with that story and then post our other links,” and that’s what she did.
I know a very sweet man who rides the river. He has trouble remembering his promises. He gives away promises without a second thought and then wonders why he can never recall them. I asked him one day what his promises were worth when he gives them away so freely.
He said, “Ouch.”
I know of a woman who works very hard at not expecting too much. Every so often, she wonders if anything worthwhile will arrive, but I doubt anything will. The river has a special current that tends to send us what we give.
I used to think that all the hype about giving was for the birds. But I had this friend who gave me a hard time, so I gave him a hard time back. I had an employer who took advantage of me; and in the end, I took advantage of him. I had a boyfriend who never listened; so finally, I stopped talking and moved on. I even had a brother who loved me unconditionally; and from him, I learned to understand unconditional love.
Yes, I used to give the river a hard time. But the river just kept giving me my hard time back, until I finally learned its secret. As you give, so shall you receive. And as you receive, so have you given…
Source: Amazon.com: A River Worth Riding: Fourteen Rules for Navigating Life: 9781973283485: Sager, Lynn Marie: Books
Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode Nine
She sat with her head in her chin, watching me check her math homework. "You mentioned last time something about contributing boundaries and accountability if we want to be compensated with fairness and justice,” she reminded me.
Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode 23, or Why flowers need bees and bees need flowers.
She was unusually excited when she arrived for our lesson. “I found the best article,” she exclaimed, slamming her backpack down with a flourish. “It’s perfect for this week’s topic on Contribution and Compensation.”
For those of you who have already read the above episodes, here is a link to our newest episode on the Power of Contribution and Compensation.
Navigating a Whackadoodle World: Episode 38, or What to do when you've had enough?
She came to our tutoring session fuming, “I get the whole ‘As you sow, so shall you reap’ thing. I know that when I respond to anger with anger, I’ll just create more anger. But what the heck am I supposed to do when someone keeps piling crap on me. Stand there like a statue and take it?
She looked up happily. “Now we remind people that if they know someone who could use the guideposts, they can share this post with a friend.”
“Now what shall we add as a quick fun post?” she added.
How about the new post on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.” I suggested. “Its fun. It’s informative.”
“It’s done she grinned,” and hit post.
Some Whackadoodle Fun
According to American psychologist Abraham Maslow, human needs are arranged in a hierarchy, with physiological (survival) needs at the bottom, and the more creative and intellectually oriented ‘self-actualization’ needs at the top. Maslow argued that survival needs must be satisfied before the individual can satisfy the higher needs...