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Compassion
Last week I walked back to my car after a yoga class to find it—missing. I immediately started second-guessing myself about where I'd parked, and finally concluded someone must have stolen it. I contacted the police and after a little more investigation discovered it had been towed. Apparently, the visitor parking space I have been using the past three years is illegal—unbeknownst to me. How ironic that even as I was teaching my yoga class how to have compassion for themselves and others, my car was being towed away, along with my cell phone, purse, day planner and manuscript—basically my entire life!
Four hours and $268.00 later, I got my car back. I was really mad at the woman who'd watched me get out of my car and then called the tow truck instead of informing me I was parking illegally. I was mad at the tow company for charging me so much money. But mostly I was mad at myself: How could I have made such a stupid and costly mistake?
Taking a deep breath, I asked myself, "What is the lesson in all of this? To be present and more aware of my surroundings? To be grateful my car was only towed and not stolen? Or to be compassionate toward myself and forgive myself for being human, for not knowing what I didn't know?" I believe that everything that happens to us offers a chance for a lesson—and usually one a lot more about gentleness, love and forgiveness than we ever imagine in our haste to place blame. And so I decided this lesson was about having compassion for myself around this unfortunate situation.
Reminding myself of my recent dharma talk in my yoga class—we cannot be compassionate toward others if we are not first compassionate with ourselves—I let go of the blame and forgave myself for not knowing what I didn't know. I forgave myself for spending $268 to learn this particular lesson, and for getting so angry at the injustice of it all. I readjusted my focus to gratitude for all the lessons I continue to learn, and was able to feel compassion for the woman who no doubt is driven crazy by people constantly parking illegally in front of her building, or the tow truck driver who's simply earning a living.
How can you treat yourself with gentleness, love, and forgiveness today? You may be surprised how shifting to compassion toward yourself allows your compassion toward others to flow as well.
Warmly,
Diane
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