Selfless or selfish

The other night @bbghitte and I were talking about a segment on one noontime show wherein 1 of the contestants like to share her blessings with other people. When we were talking about her, I remembered one of my listed topics, selfless or selfish. Are you a selfless or a selfish person? When is it ok to be and not to be selfish? And when is it ok to be and not to be selfless?

With the word selfless, a mother is the first person that comes to my mind followed by a father. Most mothers will do anything and everything for their children. That is why most mothers would say that we have to experience being a mother so we would know what they are saying. Do you know someone other than a mother who is selfless? In my recently published article, giving, I said that I am a giver. However, there are some instances that I am selfish. I remember the second to the last time that I ate takoyaki. I really did not share it to anyone here in our house. LOL. Not only that it was my favorite but also because I only bought 8 pieces though I bought them siomai. I feel like I am 50% selfish and 50% selfless.

When I first started working, I never shared my salary to anyone. I used it to have a good time and I really did enjoyed every money that I have down to the last centavo that I earned. Who would not want to enjoy their salary for their personal needs right? And when I started to realize the importance and value of my family to me, that is when I treated them with the money that I have. Even if I do not give all of my salary to them, I make it a point that I have something for them. Though there were times that I really do not have anything to give because the money that I got was either less or enough for my debts. My needs and wants were my priorities before but I am glad that my family are now part of my priorities.

Other than my personal priorities before, there is someone that comes first before my needs and wants and that was my past flirtationship. There were moments that I really did not have any money left on my pocket and he would ask me to treat him or lend him some money. Instantly I would ask my workmates or my friends to lend me some money but of course I did not tell them the reason as to why especially to my friends because I know that they will not lend me the money if they would find out the truth. Lies. He was my top priority back then though when he came back from Canada, he became fourth or fifth on my list. LOL. It was God, myself and/or my debts, my family and friends and then him. I put someone else's needs or wants over mine without asking for anything in return. Yes, I know that love can really make us stoopid (I purposely misspelled it).

Do you think that being selfish is a negative trait? How about being selfless? Do you think that it is a person's weakness? If you are selfless, people might take advantage of you and your generosity. However, if you are selfish, some people would see or take it the wrong way and they will start talking about you negatively.

I have heard or read (or watched. I cannot even remember. LOL) one story before when a person became selfless to selfish. The people around him were always asking him for money and other things to the point that everyone did not want to work and were all depending on him. He gave it to them because they were his family. And when he wanted to start a family of his own, instead of wishing him all the happiness in the world, his family got mad. They were even against their marriage. Seems like a drama right? I am not really sure if it was from a movie or series but if it was, I cannot remember the title or the characters. But it is a typical life story right?

I think being selfless and being selfish would only be bad if things would have gone wrong or if it would have gone overboard. It is ok to help, it is ok to give, it is also ok to think of ourselves and it is also ok to say NO. I suddenly remembered my conversation with @ARTicLEE when we talked about saying NO in the comment section of @QueenRay's article, Yes I can.

The root word in selfless and selfish is SELF. It is a reminder that we have to think about ourselves and the reason why we are here on Earth. By that it means that we should prioritize ourselves and at the same time the people around us. I think it is better if we would be both selfish and selfless to maintain the balance of life. After all, life is not only about giving but it is also about taking or receiving. Reciprocation. But like I have mentioned in my article, giving, that we should not expect anything in return when we give. We help and give because that is what our heart and mind is telling us. To be selfless, one has to experience being selfish and vice versa. It is up to us whether we would be selfless, selfish or both but I hope that we can all live a selfishly selfless life.

P.S. my lead image is my selfie before when my workmate gave me a champorado. I was so happy that I took a selfie because I have not eaten it for years.