Selflessness

When does giving reach it's limit? Does it have a limit? Is there really such a thing as giving too much? My answer is no. Giving is always good and healthy, and if one feels that they are giving too much it is probably because they are actually having a problem with recieving. Although giving is a far better feeling than recieving, recieving is very important. It is important to the person who is giving to you as well as to yourself. As human beings we need constant nurishment, and that counts towards the recieving of gifts. The gifts I am talking about in particular are the gifts that aren't wrapped in paper wrap and bows, but rather the gifts we give of ourselves.
All humans share a common dignity and deserve equal respect, or at least in my eyes. When one gives a gift, you would not ignore it or turn it away with rudenss. So how about when someone holds the door open for you? When someone holds open a door for someone else it is because they noticed this person and decided to do a kindly act towards them. So why would this person simply walk past as if this kind person didn't exist? This is as bad as ignoring a present being held out to you at a birthday party, and it's just as hurtful and rude. It's okay if you didn't say or do anything just because you're a shy person (I'm very shy and am guilty of this act myself), but this is an opportunity to throw away your shyness and think about another person. How did that person feel when you walked past them, as they were holding open the door for you, and did nothing? A simple thank you would do, and that person would definitely appreciate it. Just smile and say thank you! The easiest thing to do for most little gifts, including compliments. There are lots of people guilty of not taking compliments for the sake of being modest, and in some cases because they really didn't want the compliment or thought it was ridiculous. So think of the trouble this person has when you repeatedly shut them down, and how you could potentially lie to them and yourself. If you like the compliment, then why not appreciate it? Showing gratitude towards a compliment doesn't mean that you're a conceited person! Again: Just smile and say thank you! (this is a lot better than the latter choices; trust me, I'm guilty of those as well)
Now here's a tougher situation: relationships concerning the oppisite sex (or the same sex, depending on which you prefer). In a relationship it is natural to give the gift of yourself, but it is only healthy when there is a cycle of giving and consideration between the two of you. So let's say that you think about this significant other feeling's all the time and you always take them into consideration, but it feels like they don't do the same for you. It hurts because you are giving them the gift of your time and energy with the best intentions, but it seems like they don't notice. Note that in a relationship you are still two different people, and therefore there are things you won't know about each other for a little while, so don't jump to conclusions. Don't just rub it off either, especially in the early stages of a relationship. Sure, maybe they buy you things and say meaningful things, and I'm not saying that those little things don't mean anything, but it's the deep stuff on the inside that counts in a good relationship. I'm talking about values now. If you value something and they just cannot seem to respect that value, it's okay to ask for a bit of respect. Discussing it with them will help uncloud things (ask for specifics, don't beat around the bush. I'm talking to you, ladies! He really doesn't know what you're talking about if you just say "you know what I'm talking about!" after some vague sentence), but you cannot lay your values down. Changing yourself for another person because they asked you to is not a sign of respect on their part. That is plain disrespectful, intentional or not. So if they cannot respect you after the dust has cleared, then you just have to walk away from them. I won't lie that this act is incredibly painful and not at all easy, but sometimes it is necessary to save the both of you.
If any of this is offensive and you don't agree, that's fine. This is just my experiences with selflessness and my opinions of those experiences, not claims or answers.