Don’t Take It Personally

It’s smoother sailing when your feathers aren’t ruffled all of the time

I’m offended that everything offends everyone these days. I like to find a reason to be offended. It makes me happy that I can be outraged at all that is wrong outside of me so I don’t need to worry about improving who I am for awhile.

Except none of that makes sense. I am never happy when I am offended.

While it is progress that we are beginning to be more mindful of what impact our actions and words have on others, it has perhaps gone a bit too far. Too much time is spent looking for things that are offensive and then building a story around them.

It seems so simple. You get what you give in life. If you are engaging in making others feel bad for who they are, then there will never be serenity in your soul. You are indulging in self-harm when you intentionally hurt those who aren’t you.

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It’s In You to Give

Good yoga teachers assist students to realize the full benefits of a stretch

Those very words – it’s in you to give – are used in commercials in an attempt to get you to donate blood. It’s quite clever and a wonderful way to use a phrase to make us think about how we can help others by giving away something we have inside ourselves.

What else is inside you that you could give away with the intention to help without needing recognition?

When we donate blood, we assume that it will go where it is needed but we never know who receives the gift. Most likely the person who needs it is appreciative that someone took the time to donate something so precious, and the interaction is extremely intimate and yet completely anonymous.

It is a beautiful exchange.

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