All Give and No Take

And maybe that's the secret to a long lasting and fulfilling relationship. I know I've tried doing what I should, I've tried taking what I can, I've even tried a low effort mutually beneficial relationship thinking, how could this have a down side?

However now things seem different. If seeing a smile on her face is enough to make me happy, then it's in my best interests to give with everything I have, completely, and selflessly. It's in my best interests not to think, how can I get what I want from this person, but instead think, how can I get this person what they want. Sure, this mentality may end up with me being a doormat, in which case the relationship was doomed from the start. However if this is reciprocated, that is something truly special. Giving feels so good, and receiving that which is given freely feels even better. To hell with taking, demanding, expecting, and deserving.

This is a strange concept in a culture of greed. In a dog eat dog culture of competition, of each man for himself, of having to take what you want in this world. Perhaps we're doing it all wrong. I give freely to my cat everyday without a second thought, and he adores me for it. His freely given adoration is much better then anything I could take from him, and from this perspective it seems so obvious and simple. However the ego is always afraid, particularly of other humans who could be perceived as equal or even superior and it is this fear which is the source of selfishness.

A society in which everyone gave freely all which they could, would this not be considered utopia? And if you extend that same reasoning of freely giving resulting in utopia to a partnership, if you could find a person whom you cared so much for that you would give everything, and whom cared so much back that they would simply return the gesture, would that not be perfect happiness? Time will tell.