Our lives are constant buzzes of activity, so full of choices, pathways... things we must do. Promises we make, vows we have to keep in our interaction with others. That's duty. But think about it; how often do we substitute duty for love?
You don't understand what I mean because I myself am grasping at the meaning of this. But what I'm trying to say is.... Duty is when you do something because you have to. Love, instead, allows you to do that same thing because you want to. My question then stands as follows: how would you tell the difference between someone's dutiful behaviour towards you, and his/her loving behaviour instead?
How do you know a friend helps you in need because he feels he has to, as a friend, and not because he truly cares for your welfare, loves you and wants the best for you?
Cynical as this seems, I'm beginning to doubt the good intentions of the people around me. Certainly, I appreciate them, but I have no way of knowing if they do favours for me because they want to, or because they feel that have to.
I know there can be dutiful love. Yet, there's duty without love. What if we go through lives doing because we have to, not because of any kind of passion for what we do? There's no meaning in that. How many times have you told a friend "I'll be there for you"? How many times have you really meant it?
I'm guilty of doing without wanting. I am guilty of helping, smiling, pretending when my heart resents it, my spirit unwilling because I don't want to hurt, don't want to lose. Yes, duty. My duty as a friend, daughter, sister. There are very few people I would really "do anything for" out of love.
Duty. It hurts when you realise people do things for you because of duty, not love.
Duty isn't always something to be proud of.
Why do I always make myself depressed? I need a therapist.
