Something to ponder

Linda Cole sent me the following meditation:

Let us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.

Let us remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.

Let us be reminded that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.

Let us remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slowly through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Let us remind ourselves each day that, of all the gifts we have been given, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. May we open our hearts not just to those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive and to show patience, empathy and love.

This is about remembering that everyone we meet is probably fighting some sort of hard battle. It's also about cultivating a little imagination.