I’ve learned a powerful lesson recently and that is to resist the urge to rescue people.

Spiritual leader and author, Byron Katie, once said, (and I’m slightly paraphrasing) “There are three areas of business. Your business. Other’s people’s business. And the universe’s business. We suffer when we get involved in those two other areas of business that aren’t ours.”

How many times have we been “stressed” about other people’s lives?

Are we rescuing people so we feel better about their situations? So we can sleep at night? So we don’t have to worry so damn much?

Let’s admit it. Rescuing people has more to do with dulling our own pain than anyone else’s.

This life isn’t about us, though. Our highest purpose is to be of service to others. Rocking out the “care-taker” energy is actually making life all about you.

Being of service = positive action. Care-taking = negative action.

As light workers, we are people persons. And being people persons, this correction in thinking/shift in consciousness can be one of the later steps in our awakening and one of the ol’ ego-driven habits that is more difficult to let go of.

It may come with the shiny facade of generosity, but rescuing is another form of interference. Unsolicited advice. Doing it for them so they don’t have to fumble along or fail. Making the pain go away by making the problem go away.

As lovely as your help may seem, it’s not your job to rescue anybody.

It’s your job to be of service.

It’s your job to listen. It’s your job to empathize (which is compassion in action). It’s your job to say a little prayer for them. It’s your job to love deeply and unconditionally.

My mother often uses the analogy of a light house when talking about the difference between care-taking and being of service. Light houses are of service as they stand on land shining brightly – if they were into care-taking, they would be hurling themselves into the storm to grab each boat they see.

Let us resist the urge to dive in and pull people safely to shore.

When we jump in and save the day, we’re interfering in a sacred contract. We’re throwing off a soul’s agenda. We’re actually doing someone a dis-service by robbing them of the precious adventure they agreed to come down here to experience and evolve from…often the hard way.

Of course, there is a place for rescuing in this world. If I’m in physical danger, bring on the rescuing! Let’s leave the rescuing to the cops, the firefighters, and the life guards. The rest are purposeful challenges along someone’s journey. The rest is none of our business. The rest is divine.

The rest is well-planned, well-timed, and well-orchestrated.

To try to fix someone or something to look a way that pleases our ego is a wavering of faith in the universe that we often claim to have.

Everything is perfect even when it isn’t, right?

Let go.

It’s not the letting go that hurts, it’s the holding on.

Big Love,

susan