Blessings versus Entitlements
My good friend, Becky, recommended that I write about blessings and entitlements. She is a mentor who lives a spiritually rich, generous life and, as such, is often the inspiration for my thinking deeper about some important subject.
When I think of the word blessings, I think of the fact that I have used the phrases “Bless you or bless them” for many years. I am not sure when I first began saying this. I do know that at some point in my life journey, I became more intentional about reminding myself that I was not in a position to judge anyone and blessing took the form of a short prayer. I also know that a number of years ago I first became acquainted with Dr.Rachel Naomi Remen who wrote Kitchen Table Wisdom and My grandfather’s Blessings. In both books, she explores a more holistic approach to both her own health and the health of her patients. In My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuse and Belonging, she “shares 102 short stories about the healing power of those who have learned to be open to life’s blessings. Her grandfather, an orthodox rabbi and scholar of the Kaballah, taught her to recognize the healing power of blessing life through small gifts of kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity in our daily lives.” I have read this book several times and have often given a copy as a gift. The example of her Rabbi Grandfather always reminds me of the fact that many Native tribes, including the Tlingit Indians with whom I lived for a time in Southeast Alaska, are very intentional about reminding themselves that all is a gift and, thus, all is deserving of thanks. The trees which might offer their wood, the berries which bring food, the salmon and bears which bring other food, the sunshine, the rain, the community, and all else provide the food, fuel, suppor,t and shelter we humans need to make this life journey possible. My own heritage includes some Cherokee Indian ancestors (so I am told). The heritage of my aunt Pleasie (full blooded Cherokee) reminds me that I need to be very intentional about showing up and paying tribute to the many blessings of this life journey. I was thinking of this last evening when eating a very simple meal of risotto, peppers, onions, and chicken. The food fed my sense of smell, taste, and my general feeling of well-being and will help sustain me.
The word blessing or bless according to Merriam-Webster has the following history:
Old English bletsian, bledsian, Northumbrian bloedsian "to consecrate, make holy, give thanks," from Proto-Germanic *blodison "hallow with blood, mark with blood," from *blotham"blood" (see blood (n.)). Originally a blood sprinkling on pagan altars. This word was chosen in Old English bibles to translate Latin benedicere and Greek eulogein, both of which have a ground sense of "to speak well of, to praise," but were used in Scripture to translate Hebrew brk "to bend (the knee), worship, praise, invoke blessings." L.R. Palmer ("The Latin Language") writes, "There is nothing surprising in the semantic development of a word denoting originally a special ritual act into the more generalized meanings to 'sacrifice,' 'worship,' 'bless,'" and compares Latin immolare (see immolate). Meaning shifted in late Old English toward "pronounce or make happy," by resemblance to unrelated bliss.
Thus, the etiology of the word is associated with the actions of worship, sacrifice, giving thanks, or offering praise. All of these require that we show up and be present to our own bodies, other people, and all other life and the general environment. The opposite of showing up is to take for granted or to be in the world without being present with the world. Dr. Remen divides the stories in My Grandfather’s Blessings …” into six chapters—receiving your blessing, becoming a blessing, finding strength, taking refuge, the web of blessings, befriending life, and restoring the world.” One follows from the other. If I receive blessings or allow myself to experience them, I will and feel stronger and then take refuge in them/be encased in them. This will connect me to the other blessings and open me to sharing with others, which will restore the world.
Entitlement is defined by Merriam-Webster as:
1
A : the state or condition of being entitled : right
b : a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract
2
: a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also : funds supporting or distributed by such a program
3
: belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges
Entitlement then refers to our rights as human beings. I do believe that we all have a right to love, food, quality medical care, safe housing, and all else that sustains me in this journey. We are all equally entitled to these ‘essentials” of life. When, however, I think of them as my right rather than blessings I miss the sense of gratitude and, thus, the experience of being enveloped in the cocoon of the whole. If I, for example, eat food without a sense that the food is giving the gift of substance I will not feel a connection with it. I am not going to experience the sensuousness that I experienced in eating my simple dinner. If I have safe, warm housing as an entitlement I will not experience it as a home – a home I for which I can feel grateful. If I am given anything and I accept it as my entitlement, I will not feel a sense of connection. It is a very lonely existence, which is likely to lead to anger, resentment, depression, and anxiety because I am not allowing myself to be connected to. If I received medical care it will be from a functionary and not a loving/healing person. Thus, the medication or medical procedure is not likely to be effective.
I am not suggesting that a person who feels entitled should be chastised, punished, or criticized. I am suggesting that we need to continue to invite them into a loving space. It is only when we allow ourselves to experience that loving space that we can feel gratitude. It is only through gratitude that we can feel blessed. It is only through a sense of blessing that we will feel strong and know that that we are worthwhile. It is from a sense of knowing we are worthwhile that we have something to give back. It is only through giving back that we get. It is only when the circle is complete that we can experience physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
My good friend, Becky, recommended that I write about blessings and entitlements. She is a mentor who lives a spiritually rich, generous life and, as such, is often the inspiration for my thinking deeper about some important subject.
When I think of the word blessings, I think of the fact that I have used the phrases “Bless you or bless them” for many years. I am not sure when I first began saying this. I do know that at some point in my life journey, I became more intentional about reminding myself that I was not in a position to judge anyone and blessing took the form of a short prayer. I also know that a number of years ago I first became acquainted with Dr.Rachel Naomi Remen who wrote Kitchen Table Wisdom and My grandfather’s Blessings. In both books, she explores a more holistic approach to both her own health and the health of her patients. In My Grandfather’s Blessings: Stories of Strength, Refuse and Belonging, she “shares 102 short stories about the healing power of those who have learned to be open to life’s blessings. Her grandfather, an orthodox rabbi and scholar of the Kaballah, taught her to recognize the healing power of blessing life through small gifts of kindness, thoughtfulness, and generosity in our daily lives.” I have read this book several times and have often given a copy as a gift. The example of her Rabbi Grandfather always reminds me of the fact that many Native tribes, including the Tlingit Indians with whom I lived for a time in Southeast Alaska, are very intentional about reminding themselves that all is a gift and, thus, all is deserving of thanks. The trees which might offer their wood, the berries which bring food, the salmon and bears which bring other food, the sunshine, the rain, the community, and all else provide the food, fuel, suppor,t and shelter we humans need to make this life journey possible. My own heritage includes some Cherokee Indian ancestors (so I am told). The heritage of my aunt Pleasie (full blooded Cherokee) reminds me that I need to be very intentional about showing up and paying tribute to the many blessings of this life journey. I was thinking of this last evening when eating a very simple meal of risotto, peppers, onions, and chicken. The food fed my sense of smell, taste, and my general feeling of well-being and will help sustain me.
The word blessing or bless according to Merriam-Webster has the following history:
Old English bletsian, bledsian, Northumbrian bloedsian "to consecrate, make holy, give thanks," from Proto-Germanic *blodison "hallow with blood, mark with blood," from *blotham"blood" (see blood (n.)). Originally a blood sprinkling on pagan altars. This word was chosen in Old English bibles to translate Latin benedicere and Greek eulogein, both of which have a ground sense of "to speak well of, to praise," but were used in Scripture to translate Hebrew brk "to bend (the knee), worship, praise, invoke blessings." L.R. Palmer ("The Latin Language") writes, "There is nothing surprising in the semantic development of a word denoting originally a special ritual act into the more generalized meanings to 'sacrifice,' 'worship,' 'bless,'" and compares Latin immolare (see immolate). Meaning shifted in late Old English toward "pronounce or make happy," by resemblance to unrelated bliss.
Thus, the etiology of the word is associated with the actions of worship, sacrifice, giving thanks, or offering praise. All of these require that we show up and be present to our own bodies, other people, and all other life and the general environment. The opposite of showing up is to take for granted or to be in the world without being present with the world. Dr. Remen divides the stories in My Grandfather’s Blessings …” into six chapters—receiving your blessing, becoming a blessing, finding strength, taking refuge, the web of blessings, befriending life, and restoring the world.” One follows from the other. If I receive blessings or allow myself to experience them, I will and feel stronger and then take refuge in them/be encased in them. This will connect me to the other blessings and open me to sharing with others, which will restore the world.
Entitlement is defined by Merriam-Webster as:
1
A : the state or condition of being entitled : right
b : a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract
2
: a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; also : funds supporting or distributed by such a program
3
: belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges
Entitlement then refers to our rights as human beings. I do believe that we all have a right to love, food, quality medical care, safe housing, and all else that sustains me in this journey. We are all equally entitled to these ‘essentials” of life. When, however, I think of them as my right rather than blessings I miss the sense of gratitude and, thus, the experience of being enveloped in the cocoon of the whole. If I, for example, eat food without a sense that the food is giving the gift of substance I will not feel a connection with it. I am not going to experience the sensuousness that I experienced in eating my simple dinner. If I have safe, warm housing as an entitlement I will not experience it as a home – a home I for which I can feel grateful. If I am given anything and I accept it as my entitlement, I will not feel a sense of connection. It is a very lonely existence, which is likely to lead to anger, resentment, depression, and anxiety because I am not allowing myself to be connected to. If I received medical care it will be from a functionary and not a loving/healing person. Thus, the medication or medical procedure is not likely to be effective.
I am not suggesting that a person who feels entitled should be chastised, punished, or criticized. I am suggesting that we need to continue to invite them into a loving space. It is only when we allow ourselves to experience that loving space that we can feel gratitude. It is only through gratitude that we can feel blessed. It is only through a sense of blessing that we will feel strong and know that that we are worthwhile. It is from a sense of knowing we are worthwhile that we have something to give back. It is only through giving back that we get. It is only when the circle is complete that we can experience physical, emotional and spiritual healing.
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