Most everybody is overwhelmed. And they respond with various defense mechanisms. Denial, isolation, increased greed, righteousness. There are a whole set of mechanisms that people use to keep from being open, because the quality of the human heart uncontrolled by the mind is that it will give away everything... We have to find ways to exercise the compassion of our hearts, and at the same moment learn how to know what the limits are and be able to say "no" without guilt.
--- Ram Dass