Our desire to follow our own path does not trump our primary responsibility: to consider our impact on one another.
Strive to enlighten and lighten the load of others not to create unnecessary suffering.
This has been a weird couple of weeks in our household.
Individually and collectively.
We have spanned almost all of the emotions with the notable absence of sheer unadulterated joy.
Gratitude perhaps, as thankfully that is a constant.
But joy? Not so much.
And this occasional kerfuffle in our universe is followed by guilt as we look around and know clearly how our stumbles pale in comparison to others.
It's all relative? Still.
In spanning my sphere of associations one cannot help but notice that we have been in very good company.
When things seemed to take the bullet train to Hell in a high tech hand basket I made the determination that I would dance different steps to this piece of discordant notes strung together in ridiculous fashion.
The results were uncomfortable yet rewarding at the same time.
I did not pretend that all was well as is my custom.
I shared my frustration to those I trust and even, gulp, cough, allowed myself to sit and allow salted fluid to gently leak from the orbs that provide me with vision.
GASP! Then I found chocolate! (o.
k.
, fine that was not as different a dance step frankly speaking) The point is that I allowed the brave face to wander off and I presented my feelings as they were and in so doing forward thinking and forward movement has come more quickly.
It was lovely to see the love and support come from unexpected places.
The family and friends who sometimes came out from the shadows of distance to put in a comforting 'there there.
" It was also fascinating to see what did not present itself as all information is good information.
Then there were the bits of magic floating by.
The story from my school days friend who recently lost his Dad.
Reading his accounts of relocating his beloved Mom, donating his Dad's golf clubs so that others could benefit from them, getting the news that beloved friends are moving back to town, a lovely note from my brother that touched me so much that yet again I had to reach for the tissues.
His words a cooling salve for the achy soul.
Then there is the great good blessing of friends who honor us so much that they know we can handle the nonsense and simply want to know what we think we will do next.
That very concept put forth with such great love did in fact help us think about what next.
How could I not see these moments as a respite from the confusion that I was experiencing and come away renewed and refreshed.
In the midst of the phase of nonsense it became clear that there were moments that grabbed my attention because something was amiss in a loved one's universe.
What a blessing to walk along side them for a bit.
Do you ever notice that if you are visiting friends it is so much fun to wash their dishes but when you get home your own dishes don't call out FUN, FUN, FUN in quite the same way? Talk about Grace descending yet again.
May you reach out to others when it all goes South! May you express your emotions instead of swallowing them only to have them putrefy and spew when you least expect it.
May you know how grateful I am for the opportunity to learn and grow and share this space at this time with all of you.