“Tell me why you’re crying my son, I know you’re frightened like everyone.
Is it the thunder in the distance you hear Will it help if I stayed very near? I am here.
And if you take my hand my son, all will be well when the day is done.
And if you take my hand my son, all will be well when the day is done.” ~ from the song, Day is Done by Peter Yarrow
It is the end of another work week. I started to add, “thank goodness,” but decided not to, but I suppose I just did. Alas. It has been a mixed bag kind of week. Another week of riding on Mephistopheles the mechanical bull, that metaphorical, mystical representation of the wild unpredictability of life and my equally unpredictable reaction to it. The end of each day provides me with the opportunity to review the various events and activities, decisions and actions, thoughts and feelings that occurred and arose over the course of the 14 to 16 hours or so from the time I first awaken in the morning until I sit with my laptop on my lap. I take the time to review the day and ponder what blessing, occurrence, insight, or phenomenon on which I want to focus my gratitude lesson.
Some nights it’s simple–something so amazing will occur or some simple blessing will present itself without my having to apply any thought our analysis–BOOM! There it is. On those nights my blog practically writes itself. Other nights it is exquisite agony scrolling back through a difficult day searching for those brief moment when I am reminded that I am indeed grateful for something every day, no matter how hard that day has been. I’ve said before that on any given day I couldn’t throw a rock and not hit something I was grateful for, and that’s true. But some days the rock sits heavy in my hand and I don’t have the strength to heft it, let alone throw it at something. Still, God is good and I find something to zero in on each night.
Tonight I am grateful for my friends persistence, perseverance, and resilience. The dictionary describes them as follows:
persistence |pərˈsistəns| (noun)–firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition perseverance |ˌpərsəˈvi(ə)rəns| (noun) –steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success resilience |riˈzilyəns| (noun) –the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness
There are times when I wish I didn’t have such an intimate acquaintance with these friends; it is an indication that life hasn’t been as easy or smooth as I would hope for. Still, it has been a comfort that when I’ve needed to keep putting one foot in front of the other, they have shown up for me. Beyond that, though, these three friends have acquainted me with another companion accompanying me along my often bumpy journey: compassion.
As much as I would like comfort and ease to be the hallmarks of my life, it has been the difficulties that have taught me what I am made of (that would be the persistence, perseverance, and resilience part) and also to have a deeper understanding of and compassion for the suffering and challenges faced by others.
compassion |kəmˈpaSHən| (noun)–sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others
The word compassion comes from the Latin word that means “to suffer with.” Certainly the various trials I’ve experienced in my life have given me a much stronger capacity to “suffer with” others and offer support. I practiced compassion as best I could in the midst of my own troubles a few years ago and continue to do so. I still have room to grow in compassion and love for the people around me. I fail daily, sometimes magnificently. But I am also learning to celebrate the many ways, small as well as magnificent, that I contribute to making the world around me a better place.
Tonight as I prepare to rest my head and close another day, I will offer metta–good wishes–to the beings around me, those I love and those I struggle with and those I don’t even know. And I will offer goodwill for myself as well because I deserve it no less than anyone else. I will express my gratitude to the creator for another day of life and look forward to waking to the possibilities that it brings. All will be well, and this day is done.
