Thinking Out Loud, Volume CDLVII

The least I should be able to expect from my wife is loyalty. You know what I mean. I need to be able to take comfort knowing she is not running me down to her friends and coworkers. I deserve that much, don't I? Or do I? Yes, I do deserve it...but only if I have provided the same kind of loyalty to her. In other words, the only type of loyalty I deserve FROM her is the exact same kind I have given TO her. There's a rule of thumb we must always keep in mind when dealing with other people: I must be willing to give what I expect to receive. I have absolutely no reason to complain about my financial status, but it sure would be nice to receive a nice big boost to my bank account right about now. The question is, do I deserve it. Well, let's look at reality. I don't have to look far to see others who are in a much worse shape than I'm in....people who need that financial boost much more than I do. Have I done anything to help any of them? If not, how do I even have the gall to ask others for something that I, myself, am not willing to give? One of the most simple, yet cherished, gifts a person can receive is a friendly smile, and I have to tell you, I've learned a lesson in that department: If I smile first, most people will respond by smiling back at me. The kicker is that someone has to act first, and, well, it just as well be me. It's often been said, "To have friends, you must show yourself friendly." It's only logical. Who wants to become friends with an unfriendly person? If I want to BE loved, I must be willing to SHOW love. Do I deserve love when I don't give love? If I want generosity, I must be generous. If I want you to be honest with me, I must always be truthful with you. The same principle also holds true in reverse. What I DON'T WANT from you, I must not give to you. For example: I don't want you gossiping about me behind my back, but do I gossip about you? I've worked with people who became furious when they felt that someone was trying to beat them out of some money, when all the while they were trying to find a way to get out of having to pay a legitimate debt. So many times, we adults act just like children in that respect. We will scold a child for crying about the punishment he received for being disobedient, then we drive 83 mph in a 70 mile zone, and curse the cop for giving us a ticket. What I give is what I deserve to receive, be it good or bad, and that means, if I give it, I deserve to get it back in return. With that in mind, I've come up with a new plan for my life: I'm gonna hit less and hug more. I've got a good feeling about this. Preston