I haven't read the books that you mentioned in your post but, if happiness is attained by being good to others, and in that light, if someone does good to others to be happy. Isn't then kindness limited to a tool to feel better? Isn't it better to do good from the point of indifference where it doesn't matter it will make you happy or not? Isn't it better to seek the source of happiness within you, where you are good and kind when your gut says you need to and not when you know you shouldn't?
Its something I battle with too and I am sure many do. It all boils down to this for me.
"The bf stated that unless I drove them all the way to the hotel they were staying at (the beach?)"
Lets suppose, you are walking down a busy street and you see this beggar, and you feel generous and hand him a $100 bill. You feel good that you helped somebody and you will hope that it will help improve his situation. Now, the beggar looks up at you and says, "Hey dude, what? Either you hand me $500 or run along. I don't want your $100." What would you do? You will not give in to his demands, right? Right.
It is the same thing here. There is only a limit to which you could have helped them, that is, on your own terms.
Its something I battle with too and I am sure many do. It all boils down to this for me.
"The bf stated that unless I drove them all the way to the hotel they were staying at (the beach?)"
Lets suppose, you are walking down a busy street and you see this beggar, and you feel generous and hand him a $100 bill. You feel good that you helped somebody and you will hope that it will help improve his situation. Now, the beggar looks up at you and says, "Hey dude, what? Either you hand me $500 or run along. I don't want your $100." What would you do? You will not give in to his demands, right? Right.
It is the same thing here. There is only a limit to which you could have helped them, that is, on your own terms.
