Don't Feel Sorry For Yourself

Don't Feel Sorry for Yourself

I remember once when I was a kid, I felt sorry for myself about something. My father told me, "Don't waste time feeling sorry for yourself. Look around and you can find at least five people who are worse off than you are. Feel sorry for them."

As grew up, I learned to keep going in hard times and not feel sorry for myself. But I also learned that many of the people I felt sorry for were perfectly happy with their situation. Many of them were the first to offer assistance or express concern when they noticed someone feeling down.

These people couldn't afford to offer money, clothes, or a ride somewhere, but they could offer a hug, a prayer, or a shoulder to lean on in troubling times. They offered themselves, which is the most valuable thing anyone can offer. They offered their friendship. Friends didn't feel sorry for themselves because they had friends. Friends who were there for them regardless of their wealth or social status.