I will say to myself first thing in the morning:
Today I will likely meet people who are meddling, ungrateful,
aggressive, treacherous, malicious, unsocial.
But then consider that these are all forms of suffering,
afflictions that arise in consequence of ignorance.
Let me take care of myself, then, and remember that
what is truly good for me is just my own right action.
And let me remember that the one who offends me is, after all, a human like me,
a brother or sister, really, if not by blood then by our common humanity:
our vulnerable bodies, our restless but inquiring minds, our need for dignity.
Consider that another person's ill will, even directed at me,
may cause me difficulty or harm, but cannot make me suffer
that same smallness of heart unless I shrink my own heart in return;
unless I let their aggression infect me with aggression of my own.
Therefore, let me not react to mistreatment with hate or anger, or even resentment.
Let me keep my own heart soft and
find ways to bring the offender and myself back into dialogue and cooperation,
like two feet walking, like two hands making bread,
like the upper and lower teeth chewing and enjoying the bread.
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