If I lived in Boston, I would say Buddha is ‘wicked smaht’

I’m sure we can all recall the many times in our childhood we were told to treat people the way we would like to be treated. Do unto others. It made a great deal of sense, it still does, and made us all (hopefully) more socially responsible and more polite human beings.

But somewhere along the path of treating others with respect and courtesy we may have drained our personal well of kindness and empathy and saved very little compassion for ourselves. We spend so much time worrying about how we treat others that we fail to treat ourselves with the same dignity that we would impart to a stranger.

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It is instinctual to be concerned for others, to help those who need our help, but how often do we reflect on our own needs and drink from our own well of compassion? We need our own help just as much as others may count on us for support. There is a vast difference between wallowing in self-pity and allowing yourself a few moments to feel the pain of what is bothering you, to process it and to understand that giving yourself time to heal is, not just okay but, a necessity.

We need to do unto ourselves and give the same common courtesy to ourselves that we were taught to give others. To do anything less would be a grave injustice. As Buddha so wisely says, it would make us incomplete. Denying ourselves that level of self-compassion makes us unworthy of being able to understand the message behind the emotion and renders us unable to truly share the gift of empathy.

It is better to give than to receive. But it is acceptable and necessary to give to ourselves as well as give to others. Compassion is not something you can only share with those around you. Compassion is meant to encompass everyone, including you.

19 thoughts on “If I lived in Boston, I would say Buddha is ‘wicked smaht’”

Being a Boston girl myself, I appreciate the title…wicked cool! 🙂

January 22, 2015 at 07:58 Polysyllabic Profundities says:

Thanks! 🙂

Reply

Of course, if you lived in Boston, you’d nevr find parking.
Even the Buddha would get pissed at that.

January 22, 2015 at 11:30 Polysyllabic Profundities says:

Haha – how are you, my friend?

Reply
- January 22, 2015 at 11:37 El Guapo says:
  
  I’m alright, thanks.
  And you?
- January 22, 2015 at 12:33 Polysyllabic Profundities says:
  
  Living the life in our beautiful little snow globe!! Counting down until Spring. 🙂
- January 22, 2015 at 12:49 El Guapo says:
  
  Only 57 days to go!

Very wise. And a good reminder.

January 22, 2015 at 15:07 Polysyllabic Profundities says:

Thank you.

Reply

Great post and great take on compassion. I agree that we all too often give and give until there’s nothing left for ourselves. How will we continue to give if we don’t also give ourselves the necessary love, strength, understanding, to be able to reach out to others. Ironic that we both wrote about compassion today. Even more so that I almost used a photo of my Buddha!

January 22, 2015 at 15:20 Polysyllabic Profundities says:

Great minds think alike. 🙂

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Compassion for others might be instinctual in Canada, but if you’d like to take a peek at the other side of the coin, I would like to direct your attention to the New Jersey Turnpike. Those drivers have no problem whatsoever putting themselves first. Sheesh!