practice and spread acceptance, understanding and compassion

If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete. The Buddha

I asked for some old photos of myself and my brother when we were children. Looking through them with her made me feel sad, sad for all sorts of reasons. I saw pictures of her when younger and felt that she must have had hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled. I really felt compassion for her… As a mother myself I know how much joy and sadness motherhood can bring, we are not close and that must be painful for her and maybe unbelievable at times. How can you give birth, feed, clothe and love (in whatever form) and then end up with no family around you? My brother has passed, my dad too so that just leaves me and her… I have used this goal to practise all these things with others in the world but if I am honest I don’t think I’ve used it with her. It feels difficult and she drives me nuts when she attempts to manipulate me and so I just cut off and detach myself more. I guess I need to find the balance between compassion and guilt, which is which? It is sometimes hard to know when dealing with emotions. However, I will strive to practise and spread acceptance, understanding and compassion with my mum whenever possible…

That is my Mantra for this goal, and will continue to be….EVERY day.

Yesterday I felt proud to be an Australian. If you read what I wrote here and follow the relevant links, you’ll understand why.

at all times.

I think it is equally important to accept, understand and show compassion to myself as it is to accept, understand and show compassion to others.

The heart of this goal is that we are all human and need to accept our shortcomings as well as our strengths.

I just had to join the team!!

I do find I’m often too judgmental…

Easier than just taking a moment to think deeply about any given situation put in front of you. I caught myself mentally tut tutting somebody the other day, judging them quickly!!! I turned to my husband with this realisation and related that it felt like the perfect way to feel self-righteous about my life. That is not how I want to be, but it will take many years of practise to knock these attitudes and ways on the head. I guess willingness to do this is the key. Mmmm, note to self, take a while longer to take on board the situation and even then realise that I am only getting a tiny glimpse into that story…

There is only one-way in which one can endure
man’s inhumanity to man and that is to try, in
one’s own life, to exemplify man’s humanity to man.
—Alan Paton

http://www.fistulafoundation.org

http://www.endfistula.org

http://www.walktobeautiful.com

http://www.smithysbook.com