Insights

Every so often I have flashes of inspiration, where I get to feel quite different than I usually do about things. I have feelings of generous charity and enlightenedness, and things become clear for a little while. A few moments, usually! But when I write down what I think in those moments, there’s insight that helps me when I’m back to being my regular self. Like this one:

Take the power in a situation – if someone does something annoying, treat them with patience and kindness. The best way for them to change is through growing in light and knowledge, and charity will take them there sooner than anything else. It also makes it my choice – not theirs, or the circumstances’. It means I have power in a situation that’s seemingly out of my control. Add light and truth to the world.

I obviously wrote this after some experience with finding patience too difficult to practise with someone! I can’t remember what or who, but it happens often enough for this to be really good counsel. Too often, I respond to immature or thoughtless behaviour with some less-than-excellent behaviour of my own. And then I feel ashamed, because I’ve just lowered myself to the level of their behaviour. Why is it so easy to forget the adage that two wrongs don’t make a right? So easy to say; so hard to do.