A Tale

Today; I was bumped in at least thirteen areas (they’re in bold type). Before noon.

All these are little stuff, but you'll get the point. As I awoke. I felt some back pain (My Body) and I felt disappointed (My Mind). My Partner was not as interested in love‑making as I was, so I stumbled off to my office. When I reached my desk to check email, My Connection to the Internet was slow. I checked a Career enhancing retreat, and found the tuition was three times what I had expected; my Bank Account bumped me. Six bumps and I hadn’t even had breakfast

Dressing for work, my pants seemed a little tight (that’s Body and Mind). The garage door opened with a suspicious clank (House). The drive to work was peppered with slow drivers, angry drivers, and competitive drivers (World) and when I got to work, some colleagues were grumpy (WorkSite), My supervisor had a little “constructive criticism” to share, (Job) and My Project (subset of Job) is waiting for input from slow colleagues. The coffee tasted terrible. (Senses).

In all these events, what spilled out progressed from mild grumpiness to outright anger, bitterness, and functional atheism!

The Tale Wagged

This is little stuff: neither I nor my family are under serious health threat at this moment, and we’re speaking to one another with cordiality; you have much bigger stresses bumping you today.

But even little bumps are good educators, providing reliable insights to our inner state, our fears, expectations, attachments, selfishnesses, and graspings.

Of course, we’re also populated by compassions, altruisms, peace, and kindness, too; and it’s a little more pleasant to pay attention to them. But I’m becoming convinced it’s better to spend my interior time tending to the trouble spots; they’re really better friends. (My good points don't need attention unless I'm paying them too much attention!)

The response that helps me most is simply the honest naming of this stuff as it boils up. Without guilt and shame, without anger or blame, simply to name this stuff moves you toward freedom and joy.

Yeah, but how do we put it into practice?

Echoes

Whatever you are unwilling to experience is secretly running your life.
Source Unknown

With unfailing kindness, your life always presents what you need to learn.
Whether you stay home or
work in an office or whatever,
the next teacher is going to pop right up.
Charlotte Joko Beck
Everyday Zen: Love and Work

Bumps begin as spontaneous events, but add dislike and they become a bump. At that point, we have Reflection, unedited feedback mirrored by Life, the most ubiquitous, neutral, third party available! Just what the doctor ordered! I always need this.