Thursday, October 18, 2012

Words to Live By

I love this quote. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people say, "that's how I am, take it or leave it" to excuse their rude or inappropriate behavior. Some women brag about being "bitches" reducing me to the logic of a child, "but why?" We are social creatures and we all have to get along! I too can be rude at times, and have felt more anger towards people recently, which is why I am thankful this reminder came along when it did...

"Personality is not cast in a rigid mold; the whole secret of personality is that it is a process. The nature of a process is that it can be changed. For a time, it is true, the changes you are trying to make will not seem natural. When someone is rude to you, you will still feel a wave of resentment inside. It does not matter; at the outset, it is enough to act kind, to pretend to be kind, to stage a sort of kindness performance.
Gradually, if you put your whole effort behind this transformation, using the tool of meditation, the seething will subside. Then it will not just be a flawless performance, you will actually transform anger into compassion."

- Eknath Easwaran, from "Words to Live By"


Happy Thursday.

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