Open Heart

 I love when something I read, see, or hear, touches me so deeply my heart feels changed by it.  I just had that experience when I read a quote from Ghandi.  Ghandi asked of us" is that we not lose faith in humanity.  Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."  He goes on to ask us, "to be fully ourselves.  "I want freedom for the full expression of my personality."  

When I read this it brought tears to my eyes, and conviction to my soul.  I realized that I indeed have become cynical and have lost my faith in humanity.  I find especially now with the politics in full swing, it is so easy to choose sides, and start slinging that mud, or at least enjoy when someone else does.  

I recently learned that when someone pushes your buttons so to speak, they have shown up to reflect that part of you.  In fact, everyone you interact with is an aspect of you.  This news was very humbling to me, considering all the time and energy spent on complaining about them, judging them, and all the colorful metaphors I created for them.  So the truth is whatever or whoever you are judging, you are condemning yourself.  

The good news here is by having an open heart to truth, and being willing to forgive and let go you can experience peace, joy, and contentment.  Be kind and accept yourself just as you are.  How can you love your neighbor if you cannot love yourself?  

"You are exactly who you need to be in this moment.  Don't begrudge that or justify it."  Jennifer McLean - "The Big Book of You."