Like it or not, this is a Truth with a capital "T".
What does this mean, anyway? I hate my enemy. I want to push him/her/it away. I want to denigrate it, trash talk it, get others to hate it and let that anger and hatred fuel feelings of power and righteousness within me. I am right and my enemy is wrong. My enemy deserves to suffer and die. My hatred even shapes my sense of self by defining what I am not, and what I will "never" be...
All of these statements are of course subjectively true, as perception is reality for all of us. But take a step back (or 100 steps back); what is the enemy here to show us? What can we learn in relationship to the enemy? What is the message it brings? What teaching is this person or circumstance offering? And where do we need to grow in order to embrace that teaching?
If you're still reading, Congratulations. You must be on a serious spiritual/self improvement journey. I never used to think in this way and certainly as I write the critic in my head is shouting exceptions: the child molester, the terrorist, the bully; for that matter: homelessness, discrimination, murder. These are examples of people and circumstances that are CLEARLY not OK; what can we possibly learn from facing and embracing them?
Patience.
Compassion.
Acceptance.
A Big-Picture Perspective.
Mindful Presence.
Or how about simply Gratitude for not living that reality, or for having survived that reality, or for supporting others who are struggling to free themselves from that reality?
The more we can BEGIN to make room for the possibility that SOMETIMES our enemy is our teacher, something in us shifts & opens up. Walls that previously gave us a (temporary & false) sense of safety start to crumble and ironically, we start to feel more free... free to connect, free to see possibilities, free to accept what we cannot control and free to focus on our own path. This shift can result in feeling more grounded in our true selves, and more connected in general as we focus on Universal Truths and where we are similar instead of where we are different. It gets us looking for the common ground between us. This shift brings hope for more peace, even in our own tiny corner of the world, beginning within ourselves, which is where all change and all possibilities begin.
How would the commute home feel if, instead of (or after!) shouting profanities and Damning to Hell the guy who cut you off on the freeway, you paused and thought about where YOU were moving too fast and being careless? What if you focused on gratitude that his reckless maneuver didn't result in a major car accident and upon arriving home to your family, hugged them a little bit tighter and listened just a little more intently? What if you said a prayer for that individual, knowing that you've been in that state before? What if you made a silent commitment to yourself to become more aware of your own driving and more conscious in general?
I said it earlier: perspective is reality, and our mindset determines our perspective. We can become aware of our mindset. We can shift it. And that shift not only instantly improves our mood, but it can also have ripple effects that emanate from us into the world in ways we cannot even begin to imagine.
Choose wisely. ;)
