Living with an open heart

The antidote for hate and violent acts is not more hateful acts.  No matter what unkind events are occurring in the world, and there are always many, we must monitor our stress and anger levels, not giving in to the darkness, sadness, or sense of betrayal.  The only way out of darkness is to add light. Most of the time, and eventually, I consciously decide to be that light.

I think it’s natural for those feelings to fade as we experience life, so we must be ever more vigilant in protecting that urge to be generous.  This weekend, in the sheer insanity that was the traffic jam of cars headed to see Frozen on Ice, it looked like we were going to miss the beginning of the performance since no cars were moving.  The traffic lights went through several cycles before we inched ahead a tiny bit.  Still, I waved another car in to merge ahead of me.  Mr. B, not wanting us to be late, asked why I did that.  I guess I figured we were all in it together anyway.  I would want someone to let me in.

If we decide to be kind only when it’s convenient for us, are we truly living by our beliefs?

Take this squirrel… many birdwatchers would think him a pest.  He’s eating the bird seed that I put out for the cardinals and bluejays in my backyard.  However, I can’t see him that way because I think he’s just as worthy of food as my feathered friends.  His antics are far more comical too.  The only solution in my mind, rather than get squirrel-proof bird feeders, is to put out a squirrel feeder as well.