Reciprocity.  I have always liked this word.  I like the way it sounds and what it means.  According to my very old paperback, Handy College Webster’s Dictionary, it is a mutual exchange or aid; cooperation.  With this definition in mind, it is less like a “if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours,” than a naturally-occurring agreement between friends.

A formal connotation defines it more specifically as an exchange of privileges between countries or institutions that flows logically and appropriately.  Either way, it is an issue of being trustworthy and playing fair.

It occurred to me that if we employed this concept in our daily lives, it might foster deeper relationships with others.  This would happen as a result of keeping others in mind before one even thinks of asking for something from them.  By switching the focus of self-interest to a more kindly approach of interaction, we open the door to a myriad of possibilities.

Think back to a time in your life when you needed help and didn’t have anywhere to turn.  Wouldn’t it have been nice to have relationships of reciprocity already a part of your life?  I know that I have formed these relationships with people and they enrich my life.  These people do not need to be your best friends, but they must be people that can be called on in certain circumstances.  You would do the same for them with your particular talents.  This interchange would not be because you feel obligated, but rather that you and the other party are glad to help each other.

Everyone possesses different abilities that can be exchanged with others.  It is my belief that we are all here for a reason that we are meant to discover and share.  The world needs every one of us.  Humanity needs us to learn to be humane.  With all the possibilities that each of us brings to the table of life, it is possible.