The Way of Compassion

I live in emotional pain. All the institutions in my life plus my own desires, tell me that if I don't change the circumstances in my life and resolve this emotional pain, then something is wrong with me. The church tells me if I have emotional pain then there is sin in my life. The psychology profession tells me if I have emotional pain and I don't do anything about it, then I'm in denial or I'm avoidant. I tell myself - "I'm not being a good manager, I'm weak, I'm a coward, I'm lazy, I'm defective, I have no business telling others anything because I haven't 'dealt' with the emotional pain in my own life" etc.

The "way" of compassion puts her arm around me and says, "Okay dear one, let's live graciously and kindly beside this emotional pain. Let's put our arms around her and say, "I'll live with you until I grow enough to know how to deal with you. When I have expanded enough to know what to do with you, I'll do it. In the meantime, you are not my enemy. I will live with you, waiting for all the 'organisms' in the universe to open up another way for me to live. I will "look to Jesus" and wait, loving me, loving my emotional pain, loving 'my' life - emotional pain and all.

And then something inside of me relaxes, and that tells me I'm on the right path.