Barton walking the dogs, on a normal ride.
Yesterday a friend of mine forwarded me a quote from the Dalai Lama that really resonated with me in the midst of the apparent chaos throughout the week. He said:
It is not just a person’s physical constitution, their intelligence, their education, or even their social conditioning that enables them to withstand hardship. Much more significant is their inner development. And while some may be able to survive through sheer willpower, the ones who suffer the least are those who have a high degree of patience and courage in the face of adversity. ~Dalai Lama
On the one hand, there were many moments this week when I felt myself become tense because my perspective of what I thought should be happening at that moment was not what life was allowing me to do, such as when I was lying on the floor laughing and playing with the dogs when I had hoped to be working on a project for work or when I was stuck on the side of the road trying to figure out the best way to get myself home when I was under pressure to get home before a phone meeting.
On the other hand, I certainly had my share of moments when I found myself embracing the situation and playing within the moment. Moreover. During the course of the week, I found myself learning to roll with the punches to a greater extent. On Tuesday, after Megan so kindly peeled me off of the floor, my agitation around the lost work time got the better of me, and it took Megan calling me out for me to actually recognize what was going on. By the time I found myself stuck in the street with the broken-down wheelchair, I was better able to remain patient in the moment and be present to the way in which the afternoon progressed.
When I read the email from my friend, I had to laugh out loud because it became clear that while I could see some slight improvement over the course of the week, I know I still have far to go in developing both patience and courage.
