Without realizing it, we continually put up protective walls made of opinions, prejudices, and strategies, barriers that are built on a deep fear of being hurt. These walls are further fortified by emotions of all kinds: anger, craving, indifference, jealousy, and arrogance.
But fortunately for us, the soft spot—our innate ability to love and to care about things—is like a crack in these walls we erect. It’s a natural opening in the barriers we create when we’re afraid. With practice we can learn to find this opening. We can learn to seize that vulnerable moment—love, gratitude, loneliness, embarrassment, inadequacy—to awaken bodhichitta.Pema Chodron
I'm tired of...
...inacurate blame.
...hearing those who claim superiority when what they really experience is fear.
...xenophobia masked as terrorist alerts.
...freedom of religion being one sided and not including freedom from religion.
...patriarchy without husbandry.
...decrying "socialist" or "fascist" or some other inflammatory label for the sake of tapping into that aforementioned fear.
...the war on women.
...the war on choice.
...blaming Muslims rather than fundamentalists.
...blaming Christians rather than fundamentalists.
...lack of personal responsibility.
...lack of social generosity.
...high gas prices.
...hearing people blame Obama for the high gas prices when facts point to speculators and the highest profits ever for the petroleum industry (who set the prices).
...politicians and Congressmen who want Obama to fail, rather than getting on with the business of running the country.
...talking heads who want America to fail.
...being told that something awful will happen if I don't forward emails or repost on Facebook.
...being told that if I don't repost I am part of the problem. (No, I just don't agree with you and we see different solutions to the problems.)
I'm tired. Just plain tired.
So, apparently, are HoneyBoy and Mijo.
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3 comments:
I needed this quote today. I had a striking moment last night where I was being driven by fear and it took a long time to work out how to alleviate it and come back to clarity.
Thanks!
I agree! I am so tired of it all. I'm ashamed of the behaviors of so many people, many of whom are relatives!!
Thanks for a post that got me thinking!
Excellent list. I am chagrined to see myself in far too many of these, though I continue to wear away at my prejudices and blames and fears.
In my sixties, I still find much deep personal work to do. When I started standing for peace, it was about all the hatred and violence out there. The more I stand, and now, standing in a public place with a friend each week, I am continually shown how much of the peace I seek begins with doing my personal work. Again. And again.
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