I have a confession to make: sometimes I embarrass my children. Now, my children are grown (ages 19-28), so you’d think they would be over it. However, sometimes my playful side (that’s what I call it) comes out, and they distance themselves with a smile, a shake of the head, and this phrase:
Don’t be that guy.
Don’t be that guy.
We all want to distance ourselves from that guy. Sometimes it’s due to an embarrassing playfulness, at other times it’s due to something more annoying or hurtful. That guy (or gal) is the person we avoid at work, the one for whom we’ll cross the street, the topic of our gossip, and face of our annoyance. He symbolizes “they” in our “we vs. they” scenario. In short,
That guy is our enemy.
So, how do we deal with that? The Fetzer Institute suggests love as a means for transforming an enemy into a friend. They cite Martin Luther King, Jr. who promoted love as the “only force capable of transforming an enemy to a friend…. We get rid of an enemy by getting rid of enmity.”
Can we love our enemies? Can we practice unconditional love?
The Love Foundation defines unconditional love as “an unlimited way of being.” It begins as we forgive and accept ourselves – recognizing our own self-worth and allowing ourselves to be who we are rather than who we think we should be. Then, in turn, we forgive others through ever-increasing understanding and acceptance.
“We see ourselves in the reflection of another and know that everyone deserves to love and be loved without condition.”
Like most important things, it’s easier said than done, so it requires patience and perseverance. We’ll continue to look at this throughout the month of January.
Quote
Who provides the opportunity to cultivate patience? Not our friends. Our enemies give us the most crucial chances to grow. Dalai Lama
Web
At the Fetzer Institute, the January practice is transforming an enemy into a friend (read more)
That guy is our enemy.
So, how do we deal with that? The Fetzer Institute suggests love as a means for transforming an enemy into a friend. They cite Martin Luther King, Jr. who promoted love as the “only force capable of transforming an enemy to a friend…. We get rid of an enemy by getting rid of enmity.”
Can we love our enemies? Can we practice unconditional love?
The Love Foundation defines unconditional love as “an unlimited way of being.” It begins as we forgive and accept ourselves – recognizing our own self-worth and allowing ourselves to be who we are rather than who we think we should be. Then, in turn, we forgive others through ever-increasing understanding and acceptance.
“We see ourselves in the reflection of another and know that everyone deserves to love and be loved without condition.”
Like most important things, it’s easier said than done, so it requires patience and perseverance. We’ll continue to look at this throughout the month of January.
Quote
Who provides the opportunity to cultivate patience? Not our friends. Our enemies give us the most crucial chances to grow. Dalai Lama
Web
At the Fetzer Institute, the January practice is transforming an enemy into a friend (read more)
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