The Unbroken Reverie

Here are their comments about my earlier post (a year ago) wherein I asked, since it was kind of hard dealing with people that do not recognize your worth, why some people are sometimes unappreciative:

Ron Evangelista
Mike, just a comment about your thought, "There are times when people do not appreciate the fact that you care; when you're trying to help them, aren't they glad? Are they blind? Are they really insensitive or simply they do not like what you do for them?"

Let me share my motto way back my senior year in DBTC. I was then the vice president of the student council. Everyday was excruciatingly tiring, yet at the end of each day, I would still ask myself if I have served my purpose enough, recollecting the services I have rendered. "It is when you forget yourself that you're most likely to be remembered." The emphasis is given to the ignorance that you've influenced the other. As you touch their lives, it is never possible that you've not been an influence. The grace that you've shared is for them to discover and not for you to despair.

For sure we are indispensable because people could still live without us in their company, yet we still choose to be of help. The virtue of helping comes when help itself mirrors our life.

Today, as a Salesian seminarian, the challenge for me is to recognize the grace of God as He invite me to give and be source of love to my would-be confreres day by day.

Be blessed.

Anonymous
I think it is part of human instinct to feel such way, that is why you did; and the feeling of not being appreciated is normal. What is not normal is if you get to serve to the peak of your abilities without recognizing what you have just done, and what motivates you.

In order for someone to be able to serve, enough motivation is needed. Your motivation may be on the credentials you get for doing something. It is not wrong to feel such way, but if your motivation lies only on that and if you don't understand that to feel such way is an appreciation of your own self, then I guess, what you are doing is superficial.

Now, I think that if others do not appreciate what you are doing, then it is you on the very least who has to appreciate that you are capable of rendering such service. What is better is if you get to serve others without expecting something in return. I guess the perfect motivation for this kind of service is - LOVE.

Love may mean almost anything: love for God, love for your craft, love for the people around you; to whom you may be willing to die for, and love for yourself.

Yes, think of God on top of all, and do not forget that your ability to serve is a gift from Him; a talent. You must appreciate that gift and at the same time, share it to others. If people do not get to appreciate you, at least you are contented with what you have done and recognize your talent - God's gift. What you need is the right motivation.

There you have it. Those who are in the phase of feeling unappreciated, I hope this post has helped you. Act with kindness, since that is what we all should do, but do not expect gratitude.