“ Sparrowhawk, There was a time when you were told you ask too many questions. You were told people like you that ask too many questions were difficult to love. You can put that away now. That was long ago. Now you can ask all of the questions you wish. Here we encourage you to ask questions, even as we sometimes ask you to answer them. What is the question you wish to ask?”
“Thank you Master, I would ask you to help me to learn about patience and tolerance. Sometimes I do not show much patience with others, and sometimes I do not show much tolerance of others. Tell me about patience and tolerance and how I can learn to show more of both.”
“Sparrowhawk, you ask good questions. You have learned much about these subjects already. When you feel that you are not being patient or tolerant enough with another for whatever reason. Think of these things:
“Just like me, this person is seeking happiness in his/her life.”
“Just like me, this person is trying to avoid suffering in his/her life.”
“Just like me, this person has known sadness, loneliness and despair.”
“Just like me, this person is seeking to fill his/her needs.”
“Just like me, this person is learning about life.”
When you think of these things you will be putting yourself in the place of the other, you will be seeing God in them. You will begin to feel patience and tolerance for them and what they may or may not have done. And you will have learned compassion in the process. By showing the other patience and tolerance you will have taught them compassion. Thank you Sparrowhawk for asking these questions.”
Thank you http://zenhabits.net/a-guide-to-cultivating-compassion-in-your-life-with-7-practices/
for the five “just like me” statements above.
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