Slogan Thirteen

Be grateful to everyone.

From the Lojong for the Layperson booklet:

            This slogan doesn't mean we need to be a martyr and never speak up. When we find ourselves dealing with an upsetting or frustrating situation, we can (as Pema Chodron explains) “realize that when you've met your match, you've found a teacher.” We all have places where we are stuck yet unaware, and these teachers help point out our blind spots. Without them, we’d have nothing to work with in our spiritual practice, nor would we develop beyond our ego. As Alan Wallace says, such a person or situation “kicks us out of our complacency and pushes us into practice.”

Photo: Redbud leaf surrounded by lantana blooms and dogwood berries.*

*Early editions of the booklet may have a different description, because I originally failed to change it when I had to redo the photo for printing purposes.

            I have two furry alarm clocks that wake me up every morning at 5:30 am. They don’t care if I've had a restless night’s sleep or if I have no place important to be that day. The tomcat has a yowl on par with a foghorn. His mom doesn't meow; she just pats whatever part of me is sticking out from under the cover and gives me “the stare.” It’s their breakfast time regardless of how much I’d rather sleep. I could get angry, but that would be about as useful as screaming at my bedside clock. They act much like the alarm on the clock - as a tool used to wake me up. By the same token, I have a spiritual toolbox filled with implements like meditation, writing poetry and walks in nature. But inside are other items I may not think of as relaxing and restful, though they are just as useful on my spiritual journey. They may appear as a reoccurring bill that’s already been paid, the unwelcome diagnosis of a beloved pet or an angry driver who curses because I didn't move as soon as the traffic light turned green. None of these situations are pleasant, yet they are all tools to awaken me by offering an opportunity to practice patience, compassion and kindness.