Do you value others as you do yourself?

     This question has rumbled around in my head for weeks.  Being surrounded by so many motivated, make it happen, movin and shakin, go-getting people it occurred to me….. Why isn’t everyone rich?  They have talent, they are Socially likable, they are well connected…. then why?  Why do they seem to stand still?  As the days passed and I started looking deeper and deeper the answer started to emerge in my mind like Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake….slowly…. definitively….. and with a warning.  What emerged was ill placed value.  So many people with so much talent just taking…… Charismatic for sure, which is why they can seem to take from people and leave them with a smile on their face until those very same people realize that they got nothing from the interaction except taken advantage of and devalued. 

            Then I looked at my self in the mirror and found I was a fool too.  For example, I am a photographer.  I shoot events.  I try to bring a piece of the event, take a piece of a person and wrap as much of life into it so that when you look back at it you have some kind of idea what was going on.  I leave a piece of who I am with each click…. quite happily I may add.  The better I got the move people loved my photo’s, but then a funny thing happened.  While they liked my pictures and were more than happy to ask me to take time to get more pictures of them, edit them and then send them to them they would get agitated with me when I would not just jump on the opportunity to serve them without charge or exchange.  I was stunned at first thinking maybe my work was not quite good enough yet or maybe they put more into their profession that I did…..then I got mad.  Not at them, but at me…. I was devaluing myself and so they were too.  Can I tell you how many times people TELL me to use my talent to get great pictures of them for their use or purpose but then offer their services at full price?  Countless.  Now I only use myself as an example, not to whine about it, but to make a point.  I value the services and talents of those around me and as such usually wait until I feel there is equal value in trade before asking favors, but this is not the way of the world and so I say to you now it’s time to change that. 

            Value: the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance or preciousness of something.  The material or monetary worth of something. 

            Value is a powerful thing.  Now here comes the warning….. Value yourself as you do others and other’s as you do yourself.  Do not think your blood, sweat and tears of any less importance, as those in your peer group or YOU are the fool.  If you are a friend, encourage the truth in the value, but feel no pity if they themselves do not value themselves.  This is a battle you must win with you and decide yourself.

            Now when you do win and decide… NEVER forget the lesson and always look to recognize the value in others.  Become the answer not the problem.