There is a word (a verb) that has two different meanings, but can be splet with the same characters.
This word is 'Ageru'.
The Japanese spelling is 上げる.
The first character '上' means 'up'.
So the first meaning of this word is the verb 'to rise' or 'to go up a level'. It can be used in the context of a job promotion or something you are studying.
The second meaning is 'to give' in the sense of giving something to someone as a present, because out of your intention.
Ok so maybe I should stop being language teacher for just a second and get to the point. The question that I asked myself was, why would the character for 'up' or 'rise' be used for the same word as to give a present to someone?
And then it hit me - due to a recent previous experience that I had I was able to realise the meaning pretty quickly. To give IS to rise. And the more you give, the higher you go.
Whereever I go I always try to give my all. I travel to places and give everything to the people I meet there. Sometimes I come back a little depleated. But it's OK because I don't expect to recieve in return.
However, I realised something very important from my last travel. Even though you give your all in one particular area of your life, whether it's love, health, work, or family - you could rise up, usually unexpectedly, in another area. If you recognise it from that perspective, then no matter how depleated you would feel after giving, the rising up that life provides you in another area of your life gives you that energy back. And then ......well it's only up from there :)
So if you are scared of doing something, and giving your all, without getting anything back, just trust in that vital balance which the world is constantly trying to maintain. Trust that not only will it come back to you in one way or another, but it will move you to the next level.
Let go of fear and soar up towards the stars.
