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Daily Question, July 30

What helps me respect the journeys of others?

  • reality

    The fullness of the gratitude I feel for every aspect of life, and their choosing to set aside the plethora of gifts showered on those who choose ignorance isn’t only bliss, not just next to Godliness, but, rather, “All”. Thanx for all you do and don’t; have a blessed day 🙂 reality

  • Malag

    That we’re all the same in a way, walking blindly into the future. It brings to mind a koan i have pondered over the last few years: “Step by step in the dark; when the foot is not wet it has found the stone.”

    Wet feet, dry feet: we all experience it!

  • Nancy Walton-House

    When I am fully present and actively listen to their story, I discover some ways we are similar to each other. This discovery draws me closer to them and causes me to feel some empathy for them. I learn about their joys and sorrows, their successes and failures, how their earlier life shaped them, what gives them hope and the will to proceed on their journey. I usually recognize some part of their journey that I can respect.

  • To stand against what is inhumane and support the human. I wrote that in my diary today because I was a little grumpy and was losing my patience with human-ness. So I reminded myself that it’s inhumanity not humanity that I stand against.

  • Don Jones
    If I fail to see what I am (and especially what I am not) it’s because I’m too busily imaginative, too “spiritual”, too adult and knowing, too credulous, too intimidated by society and language, too frightened of the obvious to accept the situation exactly as I find it at this moment. Only I am in a position to report on what’s here. A kind of alert naivety is what I need. It takes an innocent eye and an empty head (not to mention a stout heart) to admit their own perfect emptiness. It...

    If I fail to see what I am (and especially what I am not) it’s because I’m too busily imaginative, too “spiritual”, too adult and knowing, too credulous, too intimidated by society and language, too frightened of the obvious to accept the situation exactly as I find it at this moment. Only I am in a position to report on what’s here. A kind of alert naivety is what I need. It takes an innocent eye and an empty head (not to mention a stout heart) to admit their own perfect emptiness. It is when I am empty, that I am completely available to others.

    Read More
  • KC

    As I practice returning to and staying grounded / centred in and with my own experience, truth, challenges, needs, I am more able to offer deep respect, understanding and kindness to others. My aging father and family are my best teachers now. There are many invitations daily.

    Practicing being grounded, still and deep listening to understand …

  • Hot Sauce
    Something I'm learning about this right now is that sometimes I just need to shut up, take a step back, and not judge other people. Will I ever fully understand why some people do the things they do? No. Can I still empathize with them and learn to avoid judging by recognizing that there may be valid reasons why they believe they need to behave in a way that may be unkind? Yes. For example, for the life of me, I cannot understand why some members of my family support the current regime in the Un...

    Something I’m learning about this right now is that sometimes I just need to shut up, take a step back, and not judge other people. Will I ever fully understand why some people do the things they do? No. Can I still empathize with them and learn to avoid judging by recognizing that there may be valid reasons why they believe they need to behave in a way that may be unkind? Yes. For example, for the life of me, I cannot understand why some members of my family support the current regime in the United States. Nevertheless, I can continue to love and support them, knowing that there are reasons for their behavior that I may never fully understand, and that’s okay. I need to focus more on how I can be a voice for change and for justice, not on how other people aren’t trying to do that.

    Read More
  • Linda

    I remind myself that people have sovereignty over their own lives. I may not agree, and I will not allow them to harm me or my loved ones, but they do have the right to live the way they choose.

    • Maeve
      realizing that people have to make their own mistakes, as I did. Hopefully there is learning from that. Yes, I think making choices on one's own and living with the results is how we learn. I think I am learning that, and learning to forgive myself for my mistakes, or for choices that I wish I had not made. Or things I did not do, because I was afraid. Self compassion and kindness. I hope I am learning these. The challenge for me is not to judge others who I know, for how they are living ...

      realizing that people have to make their own mistakes, as I did. Hopefully there is learning from that. Yes, I think making choices on one’s own and living with the results is how we learn.
      I think I am learning that, and learning to forgive myself for my mistakes, or for choices that I wish I had not made. Or things I did not do, because I was afraid. Self compassion and kindness. I hope I am learning these.

      The challenge for me is not to judge others who I know, for how they are living their life, when I think they should be taking different actions.
      I am thinking specifically of an older woman I know, and her partner. I hope she is not agreeing to live a certain way, just in order to accommodate him. But if she is, that is her and their life.

      Read More
  • Mica

    Sometimes it’s imagination. Someone I had liked and admired seemed negative toward me recently, for reasons that seemed unreasonable to me. I thought about what it must be like to have 2 young kids at home now during the lockdown, while running a business from her home. I figure I’ll cut her some slack and not be angry at her.

  • Ed Schulte

    A straight and simple “re-minder” is all the “help” I requirer.

    That reminder is the truth that this so-called “journey” in life experiences… is but… One journey leading back to ….One home.

  • eliza

    There is something deeply moving about hearing another person tell their story-even if it is really different from your own and you don’t on the surface have much in common – when human heart meets human heart and we truly listen to one another respect begins to blossom and we are both changed

  • Michele

    Listening helps me respect the journeys of others.

  • Patricia

    I resonate with so much of what has already been said…. but I would add from my faith perspective: believing that there is Christ-presence in others and that (almost?) always, there is something to be learned when I listen to and observe the journeys of others. We listen to and learn from one another, and that is a gift from God.

  • Cathie

    When I remember that my own journey, with all its ups and downs, is not perfect but it is my path for life and learning – others will have their own too.

  • sunnypatti

    Love.
    And reminding myself that each has their own journey. That everyone will have their moment of grace when they are supposed to. That my journey has been a long and winding road, and it continues on…just like theirs.

  • Zenith

    I am not really sure what this is asking. I always respect where others are at in their life. Not everyone responds to the wake up call. Heartbreaking but true. I try to find others who are moving to a higher plane and join with them. Vibrations you know.

    • Ed Schulte

      So True! Yes, concentrate the light ( vibration) beams back to their source and …not surprisingly …it will be discovered that the Light ( vibration) source is coming to you!

  • Trish

    We all have to navigate using the information & tools that we have. My history & life experiences inform my journey as it goes for all of us. I may not always completely understand but I can certainly attempt to look at the big picture in order to relate in love.

  • Howie Geib
    I don’t usually get too far out of the gate each day before I am somehow reminded of how lucky I am, and independently, how I have made mistakes, held wrong views, and generally been unwise, as I survey my life in reflection. That’s not to say I am a reckless bounder now, but I have had my moments. This brings me to a posture of giving folks a fairly wide berth in regards to their process, as I am never sure where on their personal arc of life they happen to be at the moment they cross my pa...

    I don’t usually get too far out of the gate each day before I am somehow reminded of how lucky I am, and independently, how I have made mistakes, held wrong views, and generally been unwise, as I survey my life in reflection. That’s not to say I am a reckless bounder now, but I have had my moments. This brings me to a posture of giving folks a fairly wide berth in regards to their process, as I am never sure where on their personal arc of life they happen to be at the moment they cross my path. For that is how respect manifests itself in my outward life: giving way. Also, too, shrapnel happens.

    Read More
  • devy
    to focus on our own lives rather than trying to control the lives of others. We are only responsible for ourselves. Their life journeys may be difficult at times. Yes be there to offer help, an ear to listen, step in if they’re putting themselves in serious danger. But remember we can’t always rescue them.. we have our own ups and downs and are responsible for our own emotions. At the other end of the spectrum, yes reach out, give praise to others when things are going well for them. Be kind...

    to focus on our own lives rather than trying to control the lives of others. We are only responsible for ourselves. Their life journeys may be difficult at times. Yes be there to offer help, an ear to listen, step in if they’re putting themselves in serious danger. But remember we can’t always rescue them.. we have our own ups and downs and are responsible for our own emotions. At the other end of the spectrum, yes reach out, give praise to others when things are going well for them. Be kind..It’s great to have others to talk to about how we feel as well but we have to look towards others as a support and not rely on them to resolve our bad feelings. We have ownership to our own life journeys.

    Read More
  • Kevin

    I hope that I never need “help” respecting the journeys of others. I find listening to people’s life journeys fascinating. And in a somewhat strange way, listening to the journeys of other people somehow enriches my own life.

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