How I get by

Be awake.

Be mindful.

Realize that every sentient being wishes to be happy and avoid suffering and that we all, in some way, are suffering.

If we think that every sentient being deserves the patience and compassion as we would show our own mother or child, it helps.

The realization that others are many and we are just one-- no more and no less important. Value the content of our hearts & souls.

Try and always remember that we have no idea of what makes up a memory for someone. I'm sure we all have good memories of people we may not even know and surely don't know they affected us, by making eye contacted and speaking to them as a person.

We 'group' people to depersonalize them. Some say it's an easier way for us to do cruel & hateful things and not carry the burden or our actions. I, for one, am very happy we have sanitation collectors as well as doctors. I always called my children to the door to wave to the G-Men (garbage men) when they were little.

We never know what it takes for someone to get out of bed, get dressed, and get to work or school. I insist that my children lay out their clothes the night before to lessen the anxiety in the morning! I teach and ask how many do that, and very few do. Very few get proper sleep. We all know how difficult it is to deal with life's little bumps when we are tired. Many do not have a proper meal. I believe it was Gandhi who said that to the hungry, god appears in a loaf of bread.

We all have our idiosyncrasies. That is okay,; we just have to recognize them in ourselves and others and refrain from exploiting them.

We can offer help, yet still care for the person with scabbed angel wings: recognize and verbalize that what someone is going through must be hard.

Few can empathize, yet we can all sympathize. Life if fragile, and there is not one single moment to be wasted.

It is my personal choice (your mileage mary vary) that I live my life in order to become like Mr. Rogers, and help people cross the ocean of despair or unhappiness, to the other side where they can assist others.

I'm 52 and way too old to do a second Ph.D., but if I did I would begin (knowing I'd never complete it) looking into what exactly makes up a memory.

Just to stop rambling on, I'll give the example of counting the eyelashes of my infant daughter sleeping. She's 13-years old and no one knows I stood and did that. Perhaps, some day I'll tell her. Maybe I'll take it to my grave.

So many are filled with anger that it frightens me. I try and smile at them and let them know that everything is going to be alright.

I'm sorry for going on too long. This is just something I hold close to my heart. (I teach in an extremely poor area. I teach meditation to those in prison, and I teach, by example, my own two children.)

May whatever & whomever you hold know the type of peace that can be passed on.

I am