Gentleness

Talking with my mom is always an eye-opening experience for me. She is the best teacher I have ever had. She always puts things in perspective and helps me see the path I should be on, instead of the one I may have happened to get lost on.

In the past, when I was younger and more angry, I would get upset when she tried to advise me, feeling that she was harshly criticizing me and meddling in my thoughts and affairs, but now that I am older, I see that she is merely sharing her wisdom and Zen practice with me and helping me find a more gentle place to spread my ideas.

With that I want to briefly paraphrase what she said to me tonight about my Obama piece:

Why are you always so harsh? I often agree with 95% of what you say, but why can’t you come from a more gentle place. There are no absolutes and when you write as if there are, and that you are right in believing these supposed absolutes, then you make yourself no different than the people you criticize.

If you want to help people and change their minds, you cannot be so severe. You should sprinkle your prose with kindness and compassion like salt and pepper.

Thank you mom. I will try. I also changed the name from "Don't Trust This Man" to "Finding a New Way."