You remember the story - Prince wants a real princess for a wife. His mother tests out the potential bride by putting a pea under twenty matresses. The potential bride felt the pea and was declared a true princess. Because truly, "nobody but a real princess could have such a delicate skin."
Nice story.
What do we do with the princesses in our lives? These are the people who's skin (metaphorically, or literally) is so delicate that they feel every bump, every comment, every pea in their path.
I believe they truly suffer. I do.
And sometimes? I want to slap them out of my misery.
Visions of slapping the princesses dance happily through my head.
Sigh.
I know this to be true. There have been moments in my life when even the slightest injury felt life threatening. I can remember times when I took something out of context and used it to injur myself. I know there are times that, like the princess, I wasn't responsible for my own wellbeing and moved away from the hard, painful things in my life.
In remembering my own actions, I find something that looks like compassion.
Whether I believe it's a pea or a mountain, this person is suffering. Kindness comes easily once I get out of my judgements and into my heart.
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