Release Judgment, Choose Compassion

One of the keystones to cultivating a perspective that brings greater fulfillment and happiness is the attitude of gratitude. By ACTIVELY seeking things to be grateful for and appreciate, we begin to see things from a higher perspective. We see the sacredness and the perfection of life, as it is. That doesn’t mean we can’t shoot for an upgrade too, but we might as well enjoy where we are in the moment as well.

I maintain, it’s not what happens to you in life, it’s what you do with it. Perspective is everything.

Once I was walking down a street in India and came across a leper on the side of the road. He was an incredible sculptor. He was missing most of his fingers and toes, but he would carve his beautiful works of art by holding the rock between his feet. He had someone tie a rag around his hand, and he would slip the carving tools in that strip of cloth in order to create his masterpieces.

Amazingly, he was the most loving, sweet and generous man, who despite his challenges, was lovingly trying to give away his art to us. Here was this man, shunned by society and with enormous physical handicaps—brimming with love and happiness. What a wonderful gift it was to meet him.

I learned a very important lesson that day. He taught me that true grace is when you can find beauty in all things, not a graced state, where everything works out just as you hoped it would. To see some one so downtrodden yet entirely filled with love and light was a wise gift I’ll never forget.

Judgment is really a function of the ego. The ego wants to put itself above others. It wants to buoy you up and justify your right to exist as you are. It can also try to strike you down or straighten you out, as if becoming more perfect would gain you more love in this world. Wow, now that’s a lot of pressure. The ego’s main arena is the mind—and sometime it can be a real troublemaker.

So often, we make ourselves miserable by choosing misery. Judgment and fear of judgment makes out lives smaller when we choose to focus on the dark shadows and possibilities instead of the shining light that lives in each one of us. It is compassion that truly sets us free. Sometimes we get stubborn about our attachments to how we think reality is supposed to be showing up.

Just by a change in our perspective, we can have happiness, bliss, and peace because we chose it directly. In this way, it does not matter so much what is happening in the world. What matters is whether we are choosing to be at war with circumstance, or make the best of what is before us.

Endeavor to travel this world with an open, compassionate heart. It will bring love in times of aloneness, peace in times of conflict, and a natural joy that cannot be quenched by any storm that passes through the horizon of your life.