the What If...

Gratitude extends far beyond our imaginations, it seems these days. We feel if we hold a door for someone or buy the person's coffee in line behind us, we have filled our "karmic cup" so to speak for the day or the week even.

We pat ourselves on the back, and humbly accept all the gratitude that we are showered with by onlookers or those we have helped.

But what if...

What if there was no one there to thank you or praise you?

What if no one person saw what you did?

Our ego oftens drives these acts of compassion for others because we need to feel needed, praised and gratitude from others to feel worthy.

What if...

No one was there

No one said thank you

No one praised you

No one needed you

Would you still offer your love and kindess to the world...

with no thanks?

Do you pick up that piece of trash when no one is around or even push your chair under and wipe up a table you ate at when you were out. Do you compliment service people to their chain of command and uplift them? Do you leave loving kindness sprinkled around because one day someone will see it and it will make their hearts grow?

I walked last week... a lot. I cried and fumed and had arguments with myself. It is hard not to slide into the "woe is me" role even when we know better. My frustrations with not being able to quickly find a studio location. My financial troubles that result from that, and this messy seperation I am going through that seems to constantly bring new issues. But I walked. And i breathed. And i stretched and allowed my feet to sink deep into the sand. I let the earth ground me, the sun ignite my inner fire, the wind gave me my voice again ( the logical one!).

And then i looked down.

This was below my feet.

A sprinkle of kindness left out on the beach, tucked under a rock for just right right person to find.

"You will be successful in your work"

A silent message from some kind soul who got no thank you or pat on the back from its discoverer.

If this sweet soul knew just how much this mesaage spoke to me at the very time when I felt my yoga studio was destined to never be again. If they knew the "shift" they spurned...

But they didn't "need" it. They knew the person who "needed" to find it, would, WHEN they needed it most.

Isn't that what compassion truly is?

No thanks needed,

just the understanding that someone else needs a sprinkle.

*I started this post a week ago but never got it finished. This weekend I was reminded that there ARE others out there, around and within me who sprinkle. Find your tribe!!