In a recent situation that happened, a pretty simple thing made me think about the details of keeping promises and sharing. It all started when a friend wanted to renew her passport. She sent in her application, but she forgot to include her old passport. The person helping her at the post office didn’t tell her to include it, and she trusted their advice.
As it turned out, her application went to the Department of State, and they quickly asked for her old passport. She had already sent it along with the application, though. We weren’t sure about all the details of how it was sent, but there was a number we could use to track it, which gave us some hope.
To help her, I told her to create a shared file, a place where we could both see all the papers and messages as they happened. I knew it was important to stay in the know because the situation was urgent. As we got more serious about the issue, I started talking to her. She seemed a bit overwhelmed by my ideas, maybe feeling like they were too much.
I told her we needed to get all the right information to make our case stronger: the old passport, the tracking number for it, the ticket for her July trip, and a letter that talks about her experiences with the postal service. We wanted to be really thorough. She even called it an application for a lost passport, just to make sure we covered all the possibilities.
The main idea here is to be open about everything you’re doing. It’s not just about making a promise; it’s also about telling people about your promise. When you make up your mind to do something, you’re choosing one path and leaving all the other options behind. It’s important to say not just what you’re doing but also why you’re doing it. The “why” is what really matters—it’s the reason behind your actions, the thing that’s pushing you.
But there’s more to it than just making a promise. It’s also about going above and beyond, giving more than you think you’ll get back. This idea is called “sharing.” You keep giving and giving, hoping that your sharing will give you something in return. But here’s where the difference comes in.
Real sharing is pure; it doesn’t expect anything back. It’s when you give to help, not because you want something in return. On the other hand, when you share while secretly wanting something in return, it changes from sharing to “trading.” Trading has a part where you might lose something, and it can make you worried.
Sharing and trading are different in how they make you feel. Sharing feels nice because you’re helping. But trading can make you feel worried. When you trade, there’s a part where you might lose something. If you feel worried about not getting something back, you’ve gone from sharing to trading while pretending to be a nice sharer. It’s important to know the difference between these two things and to be honest with yourself about what you’re trying to do.
Now, I want to ask our friends what they think. How do you feel about making promises and sharing in your relationships and things you do? Do you ever find it hard to share without wanting something in return? Share your thoughts and stories with us, because this talk can help us understand more about making promises, sharing, and being really kind.
