My husband says, "Sometimes the most compassionate response is to do nothing."
[How'd that man get so smart?]
It's a lesson I've been taking to heart. Since he introduced the concept to me, I've assumed it meant that I am showing compassion to the other party by not reacting to the diatribe ... or maybe showing compassion to the other folks in the room by refraining from allowing a bad situation to escalate.
But only yesterday did I realize that perhaps by remaining silent, the person I am showing most compassion to is myself!
By not getting sucked into another drama and just watching it from the sidelines — like watching a freak show — I am being more compassionate to myself. I'm not adding more vitriol to my life. I can keep myself from getting all stirred up inside.
What a concept. Definitely something I'm not accustomed to doing. I really don't need to be in the middle of every storm ... or even within the outskirts of the blowing wind. I can step aside until the storm blows through.
I can be compassionate toward myself. Allow myself peace from the sidelines.
Sit in the sun with my shades on and a glass of lemonade in my hand.
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