Clear Sight

“Instead of focusing on the external characteristics of others, you focus on their inner feelings, particularly as it is reflected in their behavior and expressions. You gauge the thoughts in another's mind and the feelings in their hearts by carefully watching what they say and do. When you have this kind of vision, you become concerned primarily with the deeper feelings and motivations of the other person.”
~Sri Sathya Sai Baba





I am experiencing a bit of PMS today. Seeing from the heart is rarely difficult for me anymore. But caring enough about what I see to always respond appropriately can still be challenging. Like many women, these challenging times can be matched to the cycles of my physical body. I've been living with my husband since I was 18, and 24 years of cohabitation have shown me that men have their own cycles as well. And I've come to the conclusion that the most important person to be seeing with the heart is one's own self.

It is infinitely important to have the ability to see deeply into the hearts and minds of others. But it more important to see the beauty and love that YOU possess. Knowing your own magnificence is exactly what allows you share that love and beauty with others.

There was a time when I would react with horrible guilt over my inability to consistently be the compassionate, wise, and loving person I knew I was capable of being. This self-hatred further diminished my capacity for love, and turned into a self-perpetuating, downward cycle, that blinded my heart almost completely.

Thank God those days are over!!!

Today I know that my PMS-ing self doesn't look so great on the surface. Today I know that I can close my eyes and look beneath the surface. Today I know that what I will find in those depths doesn't look so bad after all. Forgiving myself, and beginning anew, comes with much greater ease. This is the kind of self-love that increases my compassion for others, and sets me firmly upon a self-perpetuating, upward cycle, that opens my heart more fully each day.

So, today I say: “Instead of focusing on your external characteristics, focus on your inner feelings, particularly as it is reflected in your behavior and expressions. You gauge the thoughts in your mind and the feelings in your heart by carefully watching what you say and do. When you have this kind of vision, you become concerned primarily with your deeper feelings and motivations.”

You deserve it.

~Dorothy Mendoza Row