A time to refocus.

The common man on the street has no time. Therefore he has no compassion.

Compassion is something that is selfless. It is the putting of other people's need above one's own. It is stepping into others' shoes and trying to understanding their situation.

More often than not, we, as selfish as we can be, never think or act in compassion. We only know how to think of ourselves, what we want, what we need, what we can get other people to do for us. Everything is I, myself and for my own benefit. Such people have no compassion and no understanding. These people will come to you with requests that are always over-the-top.

It's like you ask someone for a favour, and this favour comes with terms and conditions. I mean, you are asking for something that is supposedly given by grace, and yet, you still have the nerve to dump in a few terms and conditions??? How does that work? If someone wants to help you, he or she will help you on his/her terms! Who are you to ask someone for a ride, and then throw in that you need to be somewhere by a certain time? Who are you to ask people to help you fix a leak at your house, but it must be done tomorrow, before 9pm? How can you even dare ask someone to help you do something and ask them to do it within YOUR OWN convenience??

You are asking for a favour at your convenience and at his/her INconvenience. How does that work? And if the person doesn't help, you say that we are not performing our duty as a friend? That is pure bullshit and selfish!

If I can and want to help, I will help! I can come at your convenience once or twice, but EVERYTIME???? I have my own life to lead too you know. I don't live for you. I have feelings too you know. I have my own time constraints and things that I need to do within my own time frame you know...

I believe that friends are supposed to help each other out. And we should try our best to do so. But when a 'friend' is only interested in taking advantage of you, then it's a whole different case. There are some people in this world that know you as a friend, but has no time nor interest to fellowship with you. Everytime they give you a call, it'll be asking for a favour (that comes with a condition) of some sort. Anything else, they will leave you alone. Now, how does this friendship work?

Being individuals that we are, we have constantly fail to realise our own wrongs in friendships. We treat friends as if they are banks and credit cards. The friend who gives me the most benefits is my best friend. The friend who always shuns away everytime I ask him/her for a favour is 'not-friend-enough'. What kind of person does that make us? When friends shun away once, you think that they don't like you, when they shun away twice, you think that they're not your friends anymore. But how much of a friend have you been to them? Have you contributed anything towards the friendship? NO!!! All you've done is ask, ask, ask and ask for favours that sometimes undermine the friend's personal time and sacrifice.

If I am this type of 'friend', that makes me no more than a blood sucker.

So, in this moody Monday morning, contemplate on your own life, and cultivate some compassion in your life. Try thinking on behalf of your friends before asking them for a favour. Ask yourself, how much of a friend have I been before you open your pie-hole to ask of another favour. Afterall, all your friends actually need is a little bit of caring, and a little bit of compassion, and a bit of understanding. And if both parties give, both parties will always receive. But if one party always asks, and the other party always gives, then only one party receives. And when one party always gives, then most likely, the source will dry up.

Be a real friend. Acknowledge a friend today.