Dear Diary,<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s have a \u20182025 : Year of Compassion\u2019 Check-in.\u00a0 Yesterday, 17 August 2025, was the first time in weeks I watched the rain outside my window.\u00a0 Not because I had been missing it, but because the heat and drought had been intense and challenging.\u00a0 The breeze coming in was one of the definitions of \u2018refreshing,\u2019 and it is times like these \u2013 after a long period of harm \u2013 wherein we can begin to understand just how bad the situation has become.<\/p>\n
Today is 18 August 2025, and for the first time in weeks, I woke up not wanting to get out of bed for a decent reason.\u00a0 I was content and comfortable.\u00a0 There was a slight chill as the weather was perfectly breezy, partly cloudy, and in the 60s.\u00a0 All my windows were still open from last night, so the fresh crispness was immediately invigorating. \u00a0\u00a0I went down the street and spent a couple of bucks to buy myself some fresh socks.\u00a0 Admittedly, it was a bit overdue, but between yesterday and today, having an opportunity to reflect on the past few months, it was a touch of self-care I could implement without too much fuss.<\/p>\n
For better or worse, I tend to notice movement, whether it be minute motion at the edge of my vision or changes in the energy in my surroundings.\u00a0 Some of it is due to my sensitive nature, and some of it is a consequence of combat. \u00a0While switching playlists, I noticed a tiny flying creature, a quarter the size of a fly perhaps, against my screen trying to get out; after helping it successfully get back outside, some definitions of compassion smacked me in the face: \u00a0to care without attachment, or to care without a motive of benefit.<\/p>\n
My socks are also a form of compassion, a celebration of difficult times passing, and a source of comfort improving my day-to-day life.\u00a0 When I sat down to ponder this piece, my initial attitude was I had strayed from my goal this year of being a compassionate person, and I wanted to mark the end of the long heat with a refocus and recommitment to compassion.\u00a0 However, when I actually think about it, even in my limited capacity, I\u2019ve gone out of my way just to let people know they aren\u2019t alone when it seems the entire world is against them\/us.\u00a0 Support isn’t always stepping in; it can just be sitting down with someone while they catch their breath and either reminding them they’ve ‘got it’ or helping them develop a plan to ‘get it.’<\/p>\n
It is still all too easy for me to be harshly judgmental of myself, and I won\u2019t pretend to have answers for that particular sticking point at the moment. Nevertheless, I\u2019m incredibly grateful to have had a moment of peace where I can look back on the path I endured and understand that I did better than I initially believed.\u00a0 Combat Compassion may not always be these big displays of someone coming to you when you\u2019re in your temple, prepared, and giving out all the kindness you have; Combat Compassion is often small interactions we don\u2019t even register as anything significant, a little extra here or a little restraint there.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been so focused on the things I haven\u2019t done, haven\u2019t been able to do, I\u2019ve been glossing over the things I have done.\u00a0 Akin to the self-judgment problem, learning when or what is \u2018enough\u2019 is a skill to which I have much practice ahead of me.\u00a0 It\u2019s been difficult to enjoy much and when I do finally enjoy something I often want to do so with others and that rarely happens.\u00a0 While the reasons why are almost exclusively beyond my control the outcomes and consequences are the same.\u00a0 I\u2019ve gotten better remaining unattached to concerns where I\u2019m only tangentially or temporarily involved, but I miss the times when I got to laugh with people and my compassion per interaction ratio wasn\u2019t so high.<\/p>\n
Our time, as we understand it, is incredibly short, and I mourn so much of it is wasted because those who have more than they need feel compelled to have it all \u2013 be it power or resources.\u00a0 I\u2019m sad there\u2019s so much unnecessary pain, but I\u2019m glad I\u2019ve been able to be a tiny sliver of help.\u00a0 I\u2019ll hold out hope the laughter will return, and until then, I\u2019ll keep doing what I can, even if I do most of it by myself.\u00a0 At least the \u2018by myself\u2019 part is something of which I am well versed, for better or worse.<\/p>\n
Practice Compassion; You Are Worth It.<\/p>\n
reBLUEvinate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear Diary, Let\u2019s have a \u20182025 : Year of Compassion\u2019 Check-in.\u00a0 Yesterday, 17 August 2025, was the first time in weeks I watched the rain outside my window.\u00a0 Not because I had been missing it, but because the heat and drought had been intense and challenging.\u00a0 The breeze coming in was one of the definitions […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[304,337],"tags":[334],"class_list":["post-29128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dear-diary","category-the-mindfulness-journey","tag-334"],"yoast_head":"\n