October 10--Agree to Disagree

The beginning of love is the will to let those we love be perfectly themselves, the resolution not to twist them to fit our own image. If in loving them we do not love what they are, but only their potential likeness to ourselves, then we do not love them: we only love the reflection of ourselves we find in them.  --Thomas Merton

    I suspect it is fairly common... I have family members with whom I do not agree politically or religiously. Possibly you just mentally said, "DUH!! Doesn't everyone?!?!" Consequently, when we are together, the subjects of politics and religion are avoided "like the plague." This was especially true of my recently-passed brother. When he would go off on politics, I just kept repeating my mantra, "I love this man so much," so that I could listen and not argue. There is no changing folks with whom we do not agree. Change ONLY comes from a deeply personal interior decision. 

    I have a short paragraph from Abraham-Hicks that I read before each coaching session: 

You will know when you are of value to anyone when you are able to think about the person and feel good at the same time. When you love others without worry, you are an advantage to them. When you enjoy them, you help them. When you expect them to succeed, you help them. In other words, when you see them as your own Inner Being sees them, then and only then is your association with them to their advantage.

    Live and let live, love and let love show the way,

        Leta

Couldn't resist!