Still thinking about our heart (see Friday’s post), I recently read this from Thich Nhat Hahn, “When our hearts are small, our understanding and compassion are limited, and we suffer. We cannot accept or tolerate others and their shortcomings, and we demand that they change. But when our hearts expand, these same things don’t make us suffer anymore. We have a lot of understanding and compassion and can embrace others. We accept others as they are, and then they have a chance to transform.”
As we become more self-aware, we realize that when we cannot tolerate even the smallest act or word from others then we are also most unhappy within ourselves.
We can expand this work of compassion from those physically close to us to encompass all those who are different from us. We can enjoy differences rather than be fearful of them.
What a better way to live.
Faith Venture 
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