Ram Dass said, “If you think you are enlightened, spend a week with your family.” I saw this just after being with my family for a week in Texas and I laughed out loud haha!
Specifically, I think I could have been more patient. I have the kindest, most generous and loving mother in the world who would immediately give me the shirt from her back if I said I was chilly. And in my own independence, I realized that I didn’t know how to respond to her frequent offers to help with whatever I was doing at the time. I think I see more clearly now that my Mom’s love language is Acts of Service and I was too focused in the moment to moment activities (that I knew I could do on my own) to properly recognize this and respond appropriately. Too often I responded with a “Mom” comment with a tone that was meant to communicate,”I got this.” But upon reflection, I think I could have done better. The last thing I’d ever want to do is hurt my mom’s feelings, so Mom, if you’re reading this, I LOVE YOU ALWAYS! <3 And I’m so thankful for you and all you do! You’re an angel xoxo!
But feelings are easy to hurt. And hurt can be hard to recover from. I think a lot of happiness involves being able to bounce back from situations and then reflect on ways to enhance the experience next time.
I have this pocket Rumi book that I keep I my bag, and lately when I open it, I seem to flip to the same page. Incredibly (and not surprisingly), this page contains one of my favorite Rumi poems:
If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?
I feel that, especially in these times, we become so easily offended. If someone says something we don’t agree with, we have to “help them understand” our perspective; if someone does something we don’t like, we feel hurt; and if anything takes a second longer than we expect, we become annoyed. We lack patience for those who do not respond in the way we want. And we internalize this irritation and harm ourselves more than anyone else.
As I write this on New Years Eve in California, I am creating an intention to go into 2017 with the conscious decision to increase my patience, dial back irritation when things don’t go my way, and work on letting things go even more quickly than before.
We must remember that everyone is going through life facing challenges that we know nothing about. As we listen with compassion and reply lovingly, we may be creating a healing experience that we will never know about.
So, I hope that you too will consider this and take advantage of any opportunity you have to share a little love in words and/or deeds and release others from your expectations as much as possible. To be free, we must allow others to be free. We only get what we give away <3
Love and wishes for a beautiful 2017! May you polish your own mirror with love and gratitude for all that is. Look for the rainbow that is hiding in plain sight ;) Sometimes we can see it when we look back and wonder how we missed it. As we live in love, we see the light and love and are open and able to appreciate it in those moments. Love and light surround us.
Namaste.
Photo source: Mirror Rainbows