May 7--Compassion Demands Action

Compassion is an unstable emotion. It needs to be translated into action, or it withers.  --Susan Sontag

    I think of all the compassion that snaps into action when a natural disaster strikes. The devastation is unimaginable, yet compassion and resilience rise to the top and take over in recovery. 

    That's a big example. A small example is the act of giving blood. I'm healthy, and I do this regularly. It takes only an hour of my time every eight weeks, my common blood type is very much needed, and it may save someone's life. Big needles don't bother me. It's a bonus to me because it makes me eat in a healthy manner to keep up my iron levels. 

    There are examples of compassion all around us. It is what makes folks adopt animals. It is a commitment to love and care for a critter for years. I believe humans are naturally compassionate--we are cared for lovingly when we enter this world and as we grow, we seek to share that loving care with others. My son has said that he and his wife want their son (my grandson!) to be a compassionate human, and they are nurturing him to be passionate about compassion. 

    Today is a good day to be kind.

        Leta

More Colorado beauty,
compliments of our compassionate Mother Earth

May 6--Make Someone's Day

There is a wisdom of the Head... there is a wisdom of the Heart. 
--Charles Dickens

    I experienced the most lovely kindness several days ago. On my way to teach MELT and yoga, I stopped at QT for coffee. The place was packed. When I moved to the line to pay, there was a man in front of me with his young daughter, both with handfuls of stuff. He turned to me, said, "Just coffee? I got it." I was surprised, happily thanked him, and went on my way. How sweet! When I got out to the pickup, I thought, "Did he pay, or did I just steal this?" I laughed, feeling certain he is a man of his word, at least in this instance. Plus, what a neat gesture for his little girl to witness. It made my day.

    Kindness rocks--spread it around.

        Leta

Without coffee, life would be impossible... 😉😉

May 5--So Many Mysteries

Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies, you will not find another. 
--Carl Sagan

    Live and let live. What a concept!!! If we could all stay out of other people's business, we would not have legislatures like the one in Kansas debating who can use which bathroom or play on which sports team. A person's sexuality is no one's business but their own, and that's just one example. 

    Each of us is unique, precious and unrepeatable. It tickles me to no end to look at my grandson and consider what a magnificent mystery he is. Where did he come from? What have his past lives been like? Why did he pick this particular set of parents? What are his talents? What will he bring to our world in the future? 

    We all began life as these precious mysteries. Let us enjoy each other's awesomeness!

        Leta

We all started here.

May 4--So Much In Common

Remember that everyone you meet is afraid of something, loves something and has lost something.  --H. Jackson Brown, Jr.   

    What an excellent, simple and profound statement! I am afraid of old-age illness and dependency (very common), I love my family dearly (very common), and I have lost both my parents (very common). Could we use this idea to take it a whole lot easier on ourselves and others?

    Fear, love and grief--we all experience those. It's what we do with them that matters. Fear... do we hide from the world, buy a machine gun and kill those we fear, join a riot at the Capitol, or is there some other way? Love... as my wise younger son told me yesterday, love starts with oneself, and if you can't do that, you can't love anyone else. So you don't need to search for love; apply it to yourself and the rest will follow. Loss... not just about death, we face loss on a regular basis. Allowing ourselves time to grieve is both a loving thing and one that can help with any fears relative to the loss.

    We have much more in common than we regularly acknowledge.

        Leta

Near Fort Collins, CO

May 3--Understanding Creates Community

In time we often become one with those we once failed to understand. 
--Patti Smith

    I said often to our (usually upset with me) teenage sons, "You won't understand why we do what we do until you get married or have children of your own." While that didn't make them any happier, it was the truth. Now that our older son has a son of his own, much has become clearer. "OH, I get it now." 

    I also find this quote manifesting in my MELT and yoga teaching. As I get older and experience more assorted aches and/or injuries, I'm learning ways that sore bodies move or don't move and how to adapt my teaching to support a more comfortable practice for all. 

    Understanding is a great thing.

        Leta

We need all of us to make our colorful world!

May 2--Help--Everyone Needs It

The only way we will survive is by being kind. The only way we can get by in this world is through the help we receive from others. No one can do it alone, no matter how great the machines are.  --Amy Poehler

    Asking for help... one of the toughest things to do, but absolutely necessary to make it in this world. The thing is--we all want to be helpful, we generally like it when someone asks for our help, but to go the opposite direction--that's another story. Asking for help is often considered a sign of weakness, but the opposite is the truth. It is a sign of strength and courage. 

    Let's face it. For each of us, there is a huge amount we do not know how to do. Nobody can know everything. It makes good sense to seek help from those who do know. 

    I think it is dependency that so many of us fear--that we will be in constant need of help. I certainly dread the thought of that. As I get older, there are more things that I cannot do or don't want to do, so asking for help is becoming more routine. 

    I know there is still within me that 4-year-old screaming, "I do it myself!!!" Fortunately my adult self has learned that asking for help is OK, necessary, and usually the easier way to go. 

        Leta

CSU Gardens--it takes plentiful
help to create such beauty!

May 1--Happy May Day

Compassion is not a relationship between healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others.  --Pema Chodron

    After a month of coming up with my own or random quotes, I've decided to dive into another one of the National Geographic quote books, this one being "Daily Kindness--365 Days of Compassion." I need compassion, you need it, and so does our world. 

    We all have our dark side. If we hide and deny it, fearful of it, we will be fearful relative to others. They might see, heaven forbid! So we start with compassion relative to our own journey through assorted dark places, and then we have compassion for others. 

    We tend to be mercilessly critical of ourselves. This is a choice. It does not have to be that way. Consider one way that you could be kinder to yourself today and just do it!

        Leta