3P Random Reflections Blog

Every one of the people standing in this line, waiting for a meal, is exactly like you and me. They are human beings, experiencing their lives through their thinking, being kinder to themselves and others (with love, compassion, generosity, etc.) when in a better state of mind, and being less kind to themselves and others (with anger, jealousy, judgment, frustration, etc.) when in a lower state of mind. Every single one, just like you and me, has loved and feared, has accepted and judged, has given and taken.

At the Stinking Thinking Hangout today, four of these gentle souls came into the classroom, and despite their challenging circumstances, addictions, and illnesses, they had so much love and wisdom to share. Their innate wellbeing was easily there to be seen in so many things they spoke about, even in the simple desire to feel better. I was blown away by how much wisdom they were sharing in the middle of their challenges, and reflected on how little wisdom I often see in myself and many others in the middle of lives that are much less challenging.

I was so amazed by so much that I heard, but for some reason, one statement deeply touched me… One of the clients said that he just suddenly realized how he had been a teacher all of his life, including how when he was a child, he was teaching his mother how to be a mother. It was a beautiful moment of seeing deeply how we are all connected, and how we are all here to teach and to learn... People, things, events, circumstances that we either hate or love, are not here to make our lives harder or easier, they are simply here to teach us… if only we are open enough to listen for what we have yet to learn.

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