In All Our Affairs

 I sing with a group of lovely people, and a song popped into my mind as I read today’s Daily Reflection. It’s a chant - Soften my heart, with a counter melody of the same phrase in Spanish - Suavizando mi corazón. They’re simply repeated four times with a gentle, lilting melody, repeating as the words continue to soothe and invite ease and serenity.

The idea of carrying the principles in all my affairs becomes a challenge as I face all aspects of my life. One of my best teachers is my ex-husband. I was determined to live my principles in the process of separating and divorcing, which, not surprisingly, was a major challenge. Tempers sometimes flared; they taught me boundaries. Resentments arose; they taught me to prioritize. Differences were highlighted; they taught me to be kind anyway.

The challenge given us is to “practice these principles in all our affairs”. I don’t always rise to that goal, but when I fall short, I see where I took a wrong turn, and course-correct. I forgive myself and move on. The days of self-hatred are behind me. There are certainly times when I know I could do better - these are my lessons, and I’m in school all the time!

This is, indeed, a way of life, and I am deeply grateful to finally have a useable guidebook for the journey.



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