Day 344 - Instrument

As I was pondering life and relationships tend to function, I thought about how we should probably do more to think about how what we do affects others.  I thought about the fact that we make choices every minute of every day, and the little things we do can that change someone else's life.  In thinking about this, I recalled a poem that I once read (and had posted on my wall).  When thinking about how I want to relate to the people in my life, be it my most intimate relationships, people I work with, people I just meet, etc, I figured this would be a good basis. 

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. 
Where there is hatred, let me sow love. 
Where there is injury, pardon. 
Where there is doubt, faith. 
Where there is despair, hope. 
Where there is darkness, light. 
Where there is sadness, joy. 
O Divine Master, 
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; 
to be understood, as to understand; 
to be loved, as to love. 
For it is in giving that we receive. 
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. 
Amen.

There are plenty of people live everyday with the residue of things like hate, injury, doubt, despair, darkness, sadness, grief, misunderstanding, and so much more.  The problem is that a lot of people don't know it or actively acknowledge it.  Even still, it affects them and greatly influences their behavior.  As a person who cares to make the most of relationships and care for people in whatever capacity possible, I see it as essential to be intentional about all of our interactions.  While it is not always possible to dramatically change someone's life in a single interaction or even in a relationship, it is essential to think about how you treat others.  We may not always have all of our stuff together, but we should always try to bring whatever positive light we can into someone else's life. 
Even if all we can do is to care enough of ourselves to keep what we are still battling from hurting others, we have gone a long way in helping the world.  You may not always know what ill is affecting someone else, but showing some small kindness can ease any ill that anyone is facing.  We all have the potential to be agents of healing - we just have to be willing to do so.  In humbling ourselves and desiring to care for someone outside ourselves, we can bring about healing in ourselves as we care for someone else.  I'm not saying you have to be a shrink for everyone you meet, but do your best to bring life and/or not bring hurt to others.