How do you receive what you have asked for?

How many times, have you asked for something...only to have been unable to accept it? How many times do you ask, just knowing you'll never receive it?

If you ask for love...and you receive that love...do you push it away or criticize it till it turns away?

When you ask for forgiveness, and receive it...do you pretend you didn't hear.

Much much too often we say we want these things...but keep that feeling deep in our hearts that we will never receive it. So when it is offered to us, we either don't believe it, or we rip it to pieces because it was not given the way we expected to.

My recent exchanges with a particularly volatile family member have been all about that. Asking for something that you feel you are not given, and that you don't genuinely believe the person will ever offer. It's an easy way to keep ourselves in the state of "victim". Never allowing ourselves to truly receive the gifts we are being given, by the one's we need it from the most.

I too get caught up in my own pain. However, I am also open to the messages that are sent to me. Oprah reminded me of one very important one the other day, on her last show.

We all want to be heard and be validated.

I have been so caught up in my own pain...caught up in the vicious accusations being thrown at me, that it was hard to truly see what this person was asking. Once I hear that from Oprah, I was able to reevaluate the past conversation, and see...the answer was quite clear.

Hear my pain.

So I got it...and I replied with exactly that. I hear you, and I am sorry.

Now, I wait to see if it will be received. I know from past experience, that it is hard for this person to truly receive the gift of love, forgiveness and true sincerity. This is no longer in my hands...it now lies in theirs.

I have given the gift of love and compassion...I can only hope that it is received.