Decades ago when I was a wee lad, my Uncle gave me some advice that to this day I still remember. "Don't ever let anyone borrow anything you expect to get back." There was no explanation, just that phrase. Over the years, I've learned just what he meant. Things get misplaced, lost, and broken. Relationships can sour. Whether we believe it or not, we often have more than what we need in life and it's easy to forget if we returned something or something was returned because it may have been a while since it was used or needed. What I have truly found empowering about this statement is that it applies to so much more than material goods. For instance, feelings. Yes, when you give your love to someone, ideally you want to be loved back. However, we can't control our feelings, if we love someone, we love them, regardless of how they feel about us. When you loan money, that person may have all the intentions in the world to pay you back and they very well may, however, you should plan on that not happening. Thus the saying "don't lend money you can't afford to lose". When we give our time or effort to someone it should be done because what we want is to be helpful, to offer a hand, to help better one's current situation. Perhaps one day, this act will be repaid, but it may not, and going into it expecting a benefit at some point in our favor is the wrong intention. If you're respecting something in return, it's better to state that you can't help right now. Remember good intentions may not always lead to a good outcome, but bad intentions almost always have a way of righting themselves. The world not only prefers harmony and balance, but it also searches for them. Loan/give your possessions, give your time, give your love. You may not ever get back what you gave in the same aspect, however, if you gave for the right reason, that alone will be reward enough!
