Compassion
Our focus this week — Aug 27-Sep 2: “Forgiveness”
Today’s MotD: Compassion. We are encouraged to embrace compassion for others and for ourselves…it’s the next best thing to forgiveness. Putting ourselves in other people’s shoes and reminding ourselves of our own foibles opens the door to compassion. Besides, in varying degrees, we’ve all been where other people have been. So it behooves us to show some grace towards others.
As for having compassion for ourselves…yes, please and thank you. I know this line is cliché and even lame however it’s true: we’re all doing the best we can…based on where we are at this time. Now, this doesn’t let us off the hook, we’re still encouraged to “do better” next time, make amends when necessary, and then learn/grow from our “foibles”.
Back in my therapy-going days, I came into one of my sessions bitchin’ and moanin’ yet again about something my parents did or didn’t do. And yet again, the therapist had me look at my part in whatever drama I was bringing to the table that day.
Frustrated and annoyed, I asked “Why do I have to change ? … Why aren’t they expected to change ?” The therapist responded “because you can…it’s not in your parent’s awareness to change…they don’t even know they CAN change. So if you want to get better, it will be on you to change.” Needless to say, I did not like that answer…and yet, I understood the assignment AND I understood the “they’re doing the best they can” phrase as it applied to my parents.
How about you ? If you’re struggling to forgive someone, can you make “compassion towards that person” be an option ? As for yourself, how are you about having compassion for yourself ? Are you able to show yourself some mercy and grace ?
BTW…Here’s the before…the front and back view of today’s puzzle piece and the pretty ceramic box that holds all my numbers from which I randomly choose each day’s puzzle piece number:
Peace & Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
Creating Mandalas 🔆 Awakening Inner Harmony
ABOUT THE 2025 Mandalas of the Day
Throughout the year, I’ll be building one large (48”x48”) Tibetan-styled Mandala one piece at a time…one puzzle piece at a time, that is. The mandala design and the reversed puzzle side were printed on artist-quality watercolor paper. The forward facing puzzle side was printed on a 48”x48” wood panel.
Each day, at random, I’ll be painting in watercolors one of the 365 watercolor puzzle pieces, that by the end of the year will become Archangel Mandala #4. Read more about the Archangel Series. The word/message for each piece will be inspired by Melody Beattie’s book “52 Weeks of Conscious Contact”.
Ultimately, the message of this mandala is about how we are all uniquely part of the one.
Mandala of the Day 