Bucket Love
As the world around me continues to spin at an alarmingly fast pace I have to make a conscious effort to fully engage in the people who I interact with. It’s incredibly easy to be with people, to listen to them, to share space with them…. but its something entirely different to have the time or energy to genuinely invest in them. We have hundreds of people in our lives. Just take a look at our Facebook’s…. it’s not uncommon for us to literally have 300 or 400+ “friends”. As great as all of these people are… its more likely that only a handful of them get our undivided attention…. our sincere investment.
I have this theory. It involves buckets. Buckets are good for holding stuff… sand, water, or sports equipment in the back of our cars. There are bucket lists. People kick the bucket. Things can be a Drop in the Bucket. But for the purpose of this discussion… these buckets hold something more abstract.
We are all capable of emotionally investing in people. We can give it to our friends, our boyfriends/girlfriends, our families. But there is only so much to be given. On the other side of that, we also have the capacity to be emotionally invested in. This give and take of our efforts are what relationships are based on.
To simplify this, let me introduce you to my bucket theory. This particular bucket holds our emotional investment potential. Our bucket is only so big, and can only hold so much. Our buckets are filled by others pouring into us, by investing in us. Over time, our bucket becomes full. We then have the capacity to pour into someone else. It’s a simple idea that lets us understand why sometimes there is only so much to give and/or receive. If we have our energies focused elsewhere, and we empty our buckets into a work project, a new relationship or a friend in need our bucket runs on empty. We become emotionally drained. (Get it? Buckets? Drained? )
The moral of the story? Be cautious of where you are pouring your bucket.
Sometimes its ok for us to pour into others who dont necessarily have the same potential to give back. As Christians we are encouraged to give to those in need. But we have to be able to recognize that all investments come at a cost and we need to find a balance. Don’t invest in something that will leave you unable to continue the investments you have already made. Check yourself, and ask yourself what your intentions are with someone/something. Why are we choosing to pour some of our bucket love here and not there?
Be genuine with those around you. Don’t just listen… truly hear them. Share more than just space. Fill their bucket. Most importantly, take a look at where your energies are focused….look at who or what you may be neglecting….where you are pouring your bucket.