At What Point Can We Be Selfish?

I usually lack for a way to open my articles all the time. I always want to start with a catching and exquisite opening, but all the same, I've never really been able to get any and today has been no different. I've been trying to come up with an article, but worse to find is a good opening. I've given up on getting one though, I guess catching titles and openings aren't just my thing or maybe I'm not experienced or creative enough yet to be able to pull one of those.

I woke up to a hazy morning, did a little of my house chores before I stormed off to school. It was supposed to be a normal day with the exception of the practicals I had scheduled for today. I never would have guess most of what actually happened. But it did get me asking questions.

Man is a social animal by nature. Over the years, man has evolved from being a brutal primitive animal who was constantly in competition with every other living thing for survial, to being a social animal whom has given up some of his right for order and guarantee of his safety. The primitive life was bloody and short, but man wanted to be able to live longer with lesser uncertainties and this was only possible by reducing the competition and struggle for survival.

This forced man to associate and form communities with other men, working together to protect their common goal. The expansion of these communities led to the need for social governmental structures to whom man was to give up some rights in exchange for guarantees such as security.

These all meant man had to bond and become loyal and protect the interest of other men. This resulted in a world where man now had obligations and responsibilities towards his family and other men whom were now his friends and neighbors. But in an ever changing world with limited resources, these responsibilities are becoming quite a lot for the average man.

As an average person, you have obligations to your parents, siblings, friends, boss, colleagues, neighbors, government etc. These can overwhelm us at time and mist of these times we are expected to understand why we can't stop going.

While I was writing, I remember an article of one of my sponsors @GarrethGrey07 that I read today about how she will survive because she has to be there for her family, for those she loves and cares about. I've also read articles of another author here, who's a mother and has other responsibilities, so much that she can barely get any rest, but she just has to keep going.

These are wonderful and strong people who want to be there for the people they care about at the cost of their own physical and mental health even. How they can keep going, I really don't know. It's really great they can draw strength from the people they love and have.

I wondered in situation like this, if one stopped for a bit, take a vacation, take some time out for him/herself, some people would call them selfish, Eben the people they are giving their all for. That begs the question:

At What Point Can One Be Selfish?

I'm just really troubled by this question, how we have to keep going and keeping up with responsibilities and obligations at the expense of our own mental and physical health. Without a good support system like my friend @GarrethGrey07 ( you would know if you read her article), it's easy for us to break down and even get depressed and bored with life. I for one would say it's totally okay to get away from it all from time to time, to refresh and renew one's body and mind if we are to be able to safely keep going, and quite frankly I don't see it as selfishness, as at the end of the day, a refreshed person can better serve the needs of those they care about.

It's also very important for us to know to support those who are responsible for us once in a while through encouraging, grateful and graceful words, hugs, help, little offers of kindness and kind gestures.

Conclusion

It's the world we live in, we have responsibilities and cares that we have to fulfill. We can not sustainably do this if we do not take out time to watch over ourselves. It's really really important to know and practice this. It's should not be considered secondary. It is paramount!

Thanks for reading friends.