So True

From Dear Coquette:

Dear Coquette,

Is cheating on your partner wrong in every circumstance? How about cheating and not telling?

There’s quite a bit of room to define the scope of infidelity within the context of a given relationship, but cheating is wrong. Cheating is always wrong. That’s why it’s called cheating.

If you’re capable of asking this question with a straight face, then your problem is that you don’t feel guilt if you do something wrong. You only feel shame if you get caught doing wrong.

That’s evidence of a nasty little streak of narcissism, and it’s a serious character flaw.

On Being Who You Are

Mantra

I love you,
Not only for what you are,
But for what I am
When I am with you.

I love you,
Not only for what
You have made of yourself,
But for what
You are making of me.

I love you
For the part of me
That you bring out;
I love you
For putting your hand
Into my heaped-up heart
And passing over
All the foolish, weak things
That you can’t help
Dimly seeing there,
And for drawing out
Into the light
All the beautiful belongings
That no one else had looked
Quite far enough to find.

I love you because you
Are helping me to make
Of the lumber of my life
Not a tavern
But a temple;
Out of the works
Of my every day
Not a reproach
But a song.

I love you
Because you have done
More than any creed
Could have done
To make me good
And more than any fate
Could have done
To make me happy.
You have done it
Without a touch,
Without a word,
Without a sign.
You have done it
By being yourself.
Perhaps that is what
Being a friend means,
After all.

Our Intended Path

The mind's ability to fool itself knows almost no boundaries, but eventually the lucky among us come to our senses.  The smoke fades and we see things for how they really are.
Whether by words of wisdom or the flicker of a flashlight, we muddle through the fog and land on the long and winding road we're meant to travel.  However baffling, we learn to trust the path or at least stay on it.  And having no earthly clue where it's heading means we'll never be lost.
At least not for long.

On the Dalai Lama

It's late and I can't sleep.  Thoughts of recent weeks keep running around my head threatening to make it explode and all I can do to calm myself is read the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV.  Some of the things I'm reading are longer articles or treatises if you will, while others are the quotes that are so often recited and their wonder exists in their pure simplicity.   Of the ones that I've been reading tonight, some of my favorites are:


“Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.”

"There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.'
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.”

“When we meet real tragedy in life, we can react in two ways--either by losing hope and falling into self-destructive habits, or by using the challenge to find our inner strength.”

“Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.”

"Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible."

Simple, I know.  But sometimes it is the simple teachings, sayings, or pieces of advice that allow us to make the tiny course corrections that can lead to greater changes in our lives.