Give me someone needing food

 From “An Open Hearted Life”

Thubten Chodron writes: 

When we are miserable, what we often want most is to feel connected to others.  Yet our actions frequently have the opposite effect. Sometimes we pick a fight with someone close to us just to feel connected to him in some way. Other times we throw ourselves a pity party, replete with lead balloons and a soundtrack playing "poor me, poor me, poor meeeee, pooooor meeee," set on a loop so that it becomes the background Muzak that permeates all other thoughts, if not the major sound in our heads....

What we want most in these situations is to be connected to others, but in our misery we very often create the conditions that disconnect us from those we care about most.  how can we break this vicious cycle? A quote attributed to Mother Teresa says:

When I am hungry, give me someone needing food. When I am thirsty, send me someone needing a drink.

When I am cold, send me someone to warm.

When I am grieving, send me someone to console.

When I am poor, lend me someone in need.

When I have no time, give me someone I can help a little while.

When I am humiliated, let me have someone to praise. When I am disheartened, send me someone to cheer. When I need understanding, give me someone who needs mine.

When I need to be looked after, give me someone to care for.

When I think only of myself, draw my thoughts to another.