From my heart-to-heart conversations I have figures out that it is not only me who regularly overtakes too much on their shoulders and regrets stepping it pretty soon. This may be a daughter-in-law wanting to help her husband's family, a cousin offering her help to go stay with her cousin for a night not to be home alone, or a colleague offering to work that extra hour without the supervisor even considering to ask for a favor. I won't remember who said this, but that's so true :" Don't ask money from rich people, since they will give it without your asking". Yes, people eagerly shared what they have in abundance - money, time, care, gossip.
My friend and I often remind each other of the importance to not step in unless requested. AS we share our heartbreaks, we continue being our true selves every time we see we may be of service, and we claim responsibility for something totally unnecessary, an extra burden, an unappreciated favor. But why is it that we still continue showering people with the care they perceive as control and claim responsibility for things that should not even intertwine with our routine?
Maybe poor upbringing skills of our parents or our endless crave to be of use, to be of service, not to be taken for granted. But the matter of fact is, that paradoxically, all the people, even angels like you and me, do not appreciate what they did not ask for. Alas!
