
As a Nurse and a Mentor, I'm often plagued by the question of what does service mean to me? Having spent seven years in the Royal Air Force and almost twenty-five years in Health Care this should be an easy question to answer, but it isn't.
Service to me means being unselfish; it means doing something for someone else without expecting any reward or gain. Service to others also means helping people out when they cannot complete a task by themselves. There are many different ways to provide service to others, varying from helping someone carry their shopping to their car or working in health care or serving your country in the military. By serving people, you are bettering your character and the character of those around you.
Service to others is an essential part of making a community. A community is built by mutual respect. By helping and serving others, you are allowing the relationship between others and yourself to grow. This growing respect enables the community to thrive and grow stronger. Therefore, service to others is a vital part of a community.
So the question always turns in my mind as to why some people do not do service? As individuals, we need to recognize that people have their own reasons for putting themselves forward or not as the case may be. Some people want acknowledgement and recognition while others fear being tied down to a commitment. People might have other responsibilities that we know nothing about and taking on one more thing is just one thing too much. It is not our place to judge one way or another.
So how can we be 'of service' to others? Some suggestions include making ourselves available to listen and support others in need or helping others out whenever or wherever possible. For me, though, it always comes down to how would I like to be treated in a similar situation? Do I 'take' more than I 'give'? or where and when might I be 'of service' to others? Where can I step up to lend a hand? What is my Picture, Language and Emotion showing me?
How can you help others to help yourself?
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