Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Lessons

Welcome, beautiful traveler. I greet you with a bit of the spring taken out of my step.

A few days ago, in another forum, I let myself be egged into saying a mean thing. I knew as I said it that it was a mistake, and yet I somehow bought into the delusion that expressing my frustrations in a mean way would make me feel better. Other people had been saying plenty of mean things, and crazy things as well, and I let myself get dragged into it, trying to show them what was what.

Predictably, the whole thing ended up with me feeling even more frustrated, disgusted, and angry than ever, but with the added benefit of feeling guilty and entirely foolish as well.

I relearn this lesson every once in a while: that it is the particular talent of real evil to suck even well-intentioned people into a vortex of anger until they find themselves infuriated with one another even though there's no good reason for it. It's a stupid thing, once you're in that vortex, to swim deeper into it. But at least in that instance, you have the excuse of already having your judgment clouded.

Far stupider is to stand outside that vortex, see the raging blatherers within it, and then dive in to tell them how ridiculous they're being.

Thank you, goddess of love -- not for the first time and probably not for the last -- for humbling lessons.

Lovingly yours,

A devotee

Thursday, September 03, 2009

A Touch Across Miles 55

Welcome, beautiful traveler. I greet you with the following wish:

Be well, because the world needs you.

Be well
in body
in mind
in heart
in soul.

Be well, because the world deserves you
and you do not deserve its rough handling

its slings
its arrows.

They will strike at you.

But let them touch not
that shining brilliance
glowing
within you.

Be well,
always.

55

Thank you, goddess of love, for friends faraway and any chance that I have to help them.

Lovingly yours,

A devotee