Okay, I know this will sound foolish, fanciful, a bit naive, but I don't have to hide it. I had a heart-to-heart with Russian President Vladimir Putin this morning. In meditation. I have learned first to breathe rancor, malice, animosity from my own heart in order to be able to send out thoughts of goodwill to others and wish them happiness. Especially those I distrust or dislike.
It may sound odd to be wishing the likes of Putin happiness. But what I have learned to think of as "true happiness" comes from within. It does not, cannot come at the cost of any other person's happiness. Indeed, on the contrary, this kind of happiness is contagious. It will cause no harm. No person can be truly happy, in this sense, when he tells lies. No person can be truly happy when he contemplates unprovoked aggression that will likely cost the lives of tens of thousands of his fellow beings.
So I wish him happiness. The kind of happiness I'm talking about. True happiness. I send thoughts of goodwill across continent and ocean. Call me naive but, if nothing else, it feels better not to succumb to the creeping poison of rage and animosity that I otherwise feel. Better to be rid of it and share the happiness.
Try it. If we all do it, who knows, it might help.
It's so interesting that you wrote this, because I have also been praying that as well. For the kind of flourishing that is not destructive to all around him.
ReplyDeleteI find the situation in Europe incredibly personally distressing, as you mention in your next entry, as it dredges up trauma that was unwittingly passed down to me. Glad you got to spend such good time with Jason. He recently sent me a photo via Facebook of me on a visit with them around when I was in 5th grade. Restoring old connections is what keeps me on social media.
Emily Schnabl