ENSLAVED BY VIRTUES

How much is too much? What are the boundaries between doing good deeds for others and being their slave?
I’ll tell you what I have in my head.
I’ll think twice before bothering others, and I’ll be grateful to those willing to help me in anything.
What if someone asked you a favor, and at first you were so glad to help them.
But then they continued to keep asking you the same favor, so often until you could hardly breathe the air.
And you knew they could’ve learned to do that by themselves, but now they had been accustomed to depending on you, cos you’re always there, doing what they wanted you to do.
And they set the time limit. They said, “Please, finish it by tomorrow morning” (while it’s already late at night). And people around you thought you got paid for your hard labor for them. The fact was, you sometimes didn’t get a simple thank you.
And someday you found out that other people were willing to hire you professionally for the same work, and for the same amount, they gave you two weeks, rather than a night.
You started thinking of saying no, but they got better at begging. And you felt guilty of your intention to stop helping them, thinking they were your friends and you ought to help them.
But then, every time they called, you started grumbling silently, “Arrghhh.. it must be free work again on my free time!” And you kept resenting it cos you needed rest, you had 101 other things to do for yourselves besides your main job in the office.
And you started wondering whether they were your friends like you had thought before.
Then you realized. They only called when they needed you.
They forced you to help them even though they knew you just got out of the hospital and when you said, “I am very tired. My head is spinning around.” They laughed, sounded pretty satisfied that they got what they wanted and they didn’t care if you didn’t feel well afterwards.
Then you realized, you had been used. You had been a slave of people who pretended to be your friends because you’re so useful for them. Or maybe they intended to be your friends, but just didn’t know how.
Then I guess, it was right when people said, that inability to say no is one of the secrets to unhappiness.