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Selfless or Selfish

"Any love which is dependent on something, when the 'something' ceases, the love ceases. Any love which is not dependent on anything will never cease." -Avot 5:19

It is good to ask our motivations for doing anything. If we better understand why we act the way we do, we can learn how to be more giving, less selfish. To learn to give from the depths of love is to learn how to always give. We do not need to always vie or compete against one another. Sometimes, when you win, I win. When you lose I also suffer.

A farmer grew award-winning corn. He entered his corn in the State Fair each year. It always won a blue ribbon. What was his secret? People swarmed to the farmer to find out how he managed to always grow a great crop.
The farmer looked at the inquirer directly in the eye and responded, “I share my seeds with my neighbors."
After their stunned silence, the farmer went on to explain, All farmers know that the wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and carries it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, all that cross-pollination will ruin the quality of my corn. If I want to grow good corn, I have to help my neighbors also grow good corn”.

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