Just for today treat every person with the inherent worth, dignity, equity and compassion in the manner you would like to be treated. Accept one another. Give encouragement. Be at peace. Have respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
These were the first words I read today thanks to my friend Ronda. I wish I could wave my magic wand or wiggle my magic nose and get everyone in the world to heed this advice-however my magic seems to have run out today. Lord, I'm tired...just plain tired. Not the kind of tired that can be solved by a good night of sleep but the kind of tired that goes all the way to the bone. You know the tired, the one that makes you feel like you just want to give it all up. My tired pales in comparison to the tired others feel...I am oh so crazy blessed to have good friends who are willing to reach out and give the compassion and encouragement to help me recharge. Not everyone is that lucky!
- When someone reaches out and asks for help--take their hand and help them. Your help could make the difference.
- When someone someone says they just can't do it any more-don't get angry and shun them. Ask them what is wrong or what you can do to lighten their load.
- When someone tells you about a decision that was very difficult for them-believe them don't judge them. Give them support and be nurturing. There may be things going on you have no idea about and they're not ready to put it in words.
- When someone tells you everything is okay but you can see in their eyes they're trying to hold it together don't shrug your shoulders and walk away. Give them a hug, tell them you're there when they need something.
When Anna was younger there was a family we knew. We'll call them the 'Perfect' family. You see the Perfect family had two perfect children who were perfectly dressed, had perfect hair, perfect clothes, danced better than the other girls, drove the perfect car, lived in the perfect neighborhood. You get the picture, right? I had such a hard time not being jealous of Mrs. Perfect and all she had. (Okay, I was a little jealous...) Now fast forward ten years because Mrs. Perfect dropped off the radar and I didn't see Mrs. Perfect and her perfect children for ten whole years. Oh my the years were not kind. It turned out one of the perfect children had a perfectly horrible disease I had no idea about. It seems Mrs. Perfect is no longer able to work because she has to care for the perfect child and the perfect car is falling apart. When I ran into her a few weeks ago, I felt perfectly awful...awful for not taking the time to get to know her better--for not looking for her when she dropped out of things--for not offering to lend a hand or at least a compassionate ear. I know I couldn't have made a difference for the perfectly awful disease can't even be cured by the doctors but I could have been a better friend--I could have at least prayed for the unknown that caused her to vanish.
So as you go about your perfect day, think about all the people you encounter whether it's on facebook, the grocery store, the gym, cheer practice, work or driving down the road--they all have a life you know nothing about and today may just be the day they really need you to remember...
Just for today treat every person with the inherent worth, dignity, equity and compassion in the manner you would like to be treated. Accept one another. Give encouragement. Be at peace. Have respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
You are so wise my friend. I miss you.
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