In hopes of finding solace and healing for all that was ailing her, a woman seeks help from a wise elder. She sits on her knees in front of the wise man and spills before him her angst and strories of woe. She speaks of how afraid she is of the world warming, of her children's unruly behaviours, she speaks of her fear of the unknown and what the future may hold. She tells him of the anger that erupts sometimes seemingly out of nowhere, how her body aches and how at times her heart feels like a stranger to her. He listens to her stories and great pains with his eyes deeply fastened on hers. There is a long pause as the woman waits for the wise elders response and finally he speaks. "Ah yes", he says, "But tell me beloved, what do you love?"
I heard this story in a meditation practice and it really resonated with me. I am guilty of not focusing on all the good, but instead, all that is going wrong. I speak of my worry, my criticism, my regrets and I regurgitate the fear that is produced by the media and talk of all the hurt in the world.
I challenge you as I challenge myself now to look for the good, to think of that which you love. We must learn to train ourselves to speak less of what is wrong and more of what we love. Like a muscle, it will get stronger the more we use it. Keep reminding yourself of what matters most to you in this life. Feed yourself with love.
(Story courtesy of Sarah Blondin: Reawaken Yourself To Love and Joy)
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