Welcome friends.
In today's morning mindset,
Let's set the intention of choosing to respond to others rather than reacting.
So often in the busyness of our days,
We move through our interactions with others automatically.
We offer a quick reply to what is said,
Sometimes curt,
Sometimes friendly.
But these reactions are part of an unconscious discourse that is transactional,
Not fully human and present.
As such,
It often perpetuates suffering.
But if we pause a moment,
Take a breath,
We may recognize with our bodies,
Our whole selves already know,
That the person speaking may need something their words do not express,
To be heard,
Acknowledged,
Reassured.
Then we may choose our response,
Which,
Suffused with consciousness,
Will likely be kind and compassionate.
A co-worker,
For example,
Might come to us with a complaint about a work project or the behavior of a colleague.
Our immediate reaction might be to address the apparent issue,
To try to solve it.
But if we pause,
We may choose to respond to our co-workers to stress in a very different way,
Perhaps with compassionate silence and awareness.
So today,
When others speak with us,
Let's remember to pause,
Take a breath,
Be present,
And choose a response that brings peace and compassion to the world,
Just a little bit more.
Have a beautiful day.
