on life and caring

"One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing is what we do for others."
Lewis Carroll

"When we were infants, unable to meet our physical and emotional needs, pain and pleasure came magically from the outside world. When the bottle or the breast appeared, our hunger was satisfied. When we were cuddled, we felt soothed. When we were left alone in our cribs to cry, we felt angry and afraid. As we grow older, our old Brain remained frozen in this passive worldview: good feelings and bad feelings were created by the actions of other people; we couldn't take care of ourselves; others had to do it for us. The part of me that hurt couldn't accept love from within myself because I had no way to receive self-love. Nor does anyone else. Salvation is not an 'inside' job; it is the outcome of being nourished by others."
Harville Hendrix, Getting all the Love You Want