Clearly I didn't know what compassion was, but I knew what it was not. Compassion was not seeking revenge, holding a grudge, calling names, or screaming and throwing things in anger. Yet that was how I frequently behaved toward this person I claimed to love. For me, the beginning of learning compassion was to eliminate such behavior. ~ Courage to Change, page 277
Compassion is not seeking revenge, holding grudges,
calling names, screaming, tossing objects.
A definition by elimination. The chicken's way out.
But definition loses importance when behavior's the issue.
If I can't do the right thing, can't think good thoughts,
can't be positive, affirmative, practical, right-thinking...
then the absence of wrong action moves toward the goal.
Acting as if, being willing to be willing, making believe
and playing the role. It's breaking the mold,
revising the habits, melding the metal,
recreating. It's stopping the behavior I've held to
for decades, for life, for sure. And stopping my behavior
allows substitution, makes room for surrender,
removes me from the driver's seat
and remakes my world.
calling names, screaming, tossing objects.
A definition by elimination. The chicken's way out.
But definition loses importance when behavior's the issue.
If I can't do the right thing, can't think good thoughts,
can't be positive, affirmative, practical, right-thinking...
then the absence of wrong action moves toward the goal.
Acting as if, being willing to be willing, making believe
and playing the role. It's breaking the mold,
revising the habits, melding the metal,
recreating. It's stopping the behavior I've held to
for decades, for life, for sure. And stopping my behavior
allows substitution, makes room for surrender,
removes me from the driver's seat
and remakes my world.
- The only time I performed in a play was as Mama Noah. This just felt like the right illustration.
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