We really are all in this together. Like a ripple in the pond, one action effects the whole, for better or for worse. The choices we make are important. Everyone has their own “stuff”. We all deal with “our stuff” in different ways. Some people stuff it, some people try to process it right away, some people project it on to those around them.
And we never REALLY know what’s going on with other folks, just like they don’t REALLY truly know what’s going on with us. Sure, we can and may share things with our close friends and family, but no one is on our bodies & minds feeling & experiencing everything the way in which we do, it’s impossible.
So, if we truly are connected in this web of life and one actionwe take does in fact and in someway affect everyone/thing else, can we choose to practice more loving kindness?
Yes, sometimes it is HARD, like REALLY freakin’ hard. People can often push our buttons, say the “wrong thing”, unintentionally (or intentionally) cut us off on the highway, tag us in hateful posts about politics to push our buttons on social media or lash out on us because it makes them feel better.
In these moments, can we try to pause before responding? Can we take deep breaths without reacting harshly back? Can we take a moment to remember that we really, truly are in this together? Can we treat others as we’d like to be treated?
I am by no means saying be a doormat. No. Absolutely not. Please do NOT be a doormat. Stand up for yourself, speak your truth, hold your ground, build your boundaries, but I ask you, can you do it with love? Can you do it with compasssion? And even more so can you forgive? Can you forgive yourself for what you see as mistakes or shortcomings? Can you forgive other’s for theirs?
When a whirlwind of events sweeps through and you just have NO IDEA about the “why” of whats happening, can you even forgive & surrender to the present moment and hold on to the fact that someday it will all make sense?
These are all such challenging things to ponder and sit with. But if you do, it will serve you well. Two helpers on the journey to being more loving & compassionate toward the entirety of the world around us: Ho’opono pono– A forgiveness practice. Loving Kindness: A meditation practice. The more you practice, the easier it gets…
xoA