Monday, September 24, 2012

Starting out


What you do to others you do to yourself.  What you do to yourself, you do to others. ~Pema Chodron (exerpt from "Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living")

Sounds like that old addage we were all taught as kids, right?  I can't tell you how many times I heard it growing up.  Ad nauseum.  The above however adds a different spin.  In all my years of hearing "do unto others as you would have done to you" I never paused to recognize the opportunity for self harm if I didn't obey the rule.  I never thought of the statement in reverse either.  So I like this one a little better.  It is more appropriate for this time in my life I think.

Instead of starting the week with "shoulds" and the nagging guilt that accompanies when I fall short of accomplishing the list of the perfectionist, I'll try instead to start with intention, an open heart and a big helping of forgiveness all around. 

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