A deep feeling of gratitude can emerge as we open to the experience of being helped. Most of us pride ourselves on our self-sufficiency. We like to be responsible for taking care of ourselves & pulling our own weight in the world. This is why it can be so challenging when we find ourselves in a situation in which we have to rely on someone else. This can happen as the result of an illness or an injury, or even in the case of a positive change, such as the arrival of a newborn. At times like these, it is essential that we let go of our feeling that we should be able to do it all by ourselves & accept the help of others. The first step is accepting the situation fully as it is. Too often we make things worse either by trying to do more than we should or by lapsing into feelings of uselessness. In both cases we run the risk of actually prolonging our dependency. In addition, we miss a valuable opportunity to practice acceptance & humility. The ego resists what is, so when we move into acceptance we move into the deeper realm of the soul. In needing others & allowing them to help us, we experience the full realization that we are not on our own in the world. While this may bring up feelings of vulnerability, a deep feeling of gratitude may also emerge as we open to the experience of being helped. This realization can enable us to be wiser in our service of others when we are called upon to help. It takes wisdom & strength to surrender to our own helplessness & to accept that we, just like every other human being, have limitations. The gifts of surrender are numerous. We discover humility, gratitude & a deepening understanding of human experience that enables us to be that much more compassionate & surrendered in the world.