How can you become polished if you are irritated by every rub?
It is easy to have expectations for other people. Wouldn’t the world be wonderful if others said and did what we wanted, when we wanted, how we wanted?!
There is an analogy I’ve always appreciated from comedian George Carlin: On the highway, why is it that anyone driving faster than us is a crazy driver? And anyone driving slower than us cannot drive?
The reality is that if we perceive another person’s actions as wrong, we are always right by default. But does someone else have to be wrong for us to be right? Can we find the ‘right’ in the ‘wrong’ we perceive in another person? Can we learn to accept another person’s perspective without trying to force them to make changes?
If we are able to accept without judgement and love without expectation, we free ourselves from constant judgement and irritation. I don’t believe this means blind acceptance…but if we remain open, each moment creates an opportunity for communication to increase understanding.
As we open ourselves to understanding, we become polished. We see ourselves reflected in others. We are reminded again that we are One.
Namaste.
Photo source: Stone Buddha