Practice of the Week

This week's practice is being courageous. Being courageous is distinguished by recognizing your fear and taking action anyway. So, I asked my younger brother to read what I have written about growing up in our family.

He replied that he wants to read my writing that is ready for publication in the family writing collection. He doesn't want to read anything but that. Which of course, I don't think I can write until somebody in my family validates me by reading the gritty and painful story of what growing up was like for me. I think if somebody in my family will just get present to what it was like for me growing up, the validation will give me a measure of freedom...freedom to write about something else besides the horrible stuff that happened.

It was courageous to ask him. Since he did not say yes, the next practice that comes up to be applied here is the practice of being peaceful...and taking what you get.

I'm protecting my family, by moving the posts about my painful childhood to a different blog.

But overall, my experience for today is disappointment.

Clear Nights

On a clear night, Venus dominates the western horizon. Bigger and brighter than any of the stars. Brilliant even to the naked eye. Sometimes you can see Jupiter or Saturn, and even little Mars shows up red in the night black sky. But Venus is always there. Kinda gives you perspective, doesn't it? To experience directly and immediately being part of the solar system. I find it makes me peaceful. There is nothing like a clear night to clear the mind.

thank your enemy

My daughter's ex does nothing he is expected to do, breaks all his promises and doesn't participate in any meaningful way in the parenting of his son. It is very easy and natural to focus on the things he does or doesn't do that are wrong. But what is really exciting is to discover the opportunity he presents to us to practice being accepting, non-judgmental and at peace with the way life is. Indeed, we could go so far as to thank him for giving us this opportunity to practice our spiritual skills, including radical acceptance and the choice to meet what life brings us with an attitude that there is nothing wrong here.

Life is short; learn peace.