I've had a week of practicing right speech with my dear friend and older two kids' stepmother, who has been visiting. We manage to discuss our mutual past and lightly touch on our mutual husband without crossing any boundaries. It requires determination and effort on both our parts, and we succeeded. I believe we are both proud of this friendship, and we know it benefits our kids. We find things to talk about and share, like our mutual grandchildren and books and travel and politics. We are quite synchronized in regards to politics, so that helps tremendously. I learn about her system in Ireland and she listens to what's going on here.
And I practiced not emailing or calling or texting while she was here, so that I felt relaxed and not torn. Now I'm free to call people back and take up ordinary life again, but I gave her my full attention while she was here. I was at her disposal at all times, and we had fun. I've made my life much simpler by doing this, and it comes out of the Buddhist practice, for which I am grateful.
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