PEBBLE
I would like my life to be a statement of love and compassion. And where it isn’t, that’s where my work lies.
~Ram Dass, shared by Kelly in Grantham, NH
BOULDER
May I be loving, open, and aware in this moment; If I cannot be loving, open, and aware in this moment, may I be kind; If I cannot be kind, may I be nonjudgmental; If I cannot be nonjudgmental, may I not cause harm; If I cannot not cause harm, may I cause the least harm.
~Larry Yang, shared by Eileen in Glendale, CA
PONDER
A few months back I trusted an instinct to set a reminder that would pop up on my phone every morning posing this question: “Love, what would YOU have me do today?”
Sometimes a response comes in the form of an encouragement to love myself a little more consistently and a little more fiercely. Responses in this area might include an invitation to be kinder to myself in regards to a challenge I’m dealing with, or an intuition to focus less on a certain task that is no longer bringing me joy.
When focused outwards, the ideas that pop up are often about loving others just as they are, and telling them so a little more often. This might be as simple as an impulse to text someone who’s been on my mind lately or an inspiration to do something extra for someone who I suspect is struggling more than they are letting on. I’m embarrassed to admit how often it seems like I’m being called to remove a little (or a lot) of the judgment I’m holding about another person’s actions or choices.
I’ve decided the overarching goal of this experiment is to enhance my capacity for recognizing small, everyday opportunities to give and receive Love, and to accept the challenge to act on them whenever I can.
So consider this week’s Ripples a little splash of love and compassion for you, and I’ll also invite you to keep your ears and ears and heart extra open this week to embrace unexpected opportunities for passing love and compassion on to others.
Are you in?
Peace,
Paul
