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Today's
Meditation:
We
like company. And we like to help others. So
which of these likes is our most common motivation for
trying to get other people onto the paths that we've
chosen in life? Which is behind our tendencies to
try to direct others, correct them, criticize them for
their choices in life? If we can just keep in mind
that their road probably has the lessons that they need,
we can leave them alone to walk their paths in peace, with
the hope that our paths will cross as much as possible and
allow us to enjoy each other's company.
There
are many people whom I would love to have closer to me--
physically and spiritually. I'd love to be able
to stop over and say hi to many friends who live far, far
away. But they're on different paths, and just as I
want to stay true to my path, I hope that they stay true
to theirs.
There
are also people whom I see struggling, whom I see suffering
in life, and I think I can see why they're suffering, and
I think I can offer them solutions to their
problems. But a different path calls for different
solutions and approaches, and I must respect the fact that
they're in a different place than I and that my advice may
not be suitable for them. How often has my advice
been ignored, yet the recipient of the advice has gone on
to thrive even without following it?
I
like to hear how others see life and living. I like
to hear about how they see the world from the paths
they've chosen. But if I try to get them all onto my
path because I think it's the best way, I'll never be able
to experience the world through their descriptions from
the many different paths we're all taking.
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