Fable of the Porcupine

Received this message via email today.

This story is great, a real eye opener, if only we can just remember it!

"It was the coldest winter ever - many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realizing the situation, decided to group together. This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions even though they gave off heat to each other.

After awhile they decided to distance themselves from each other and they began to die, alone and frozen.

So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth.

Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. This way they learned to live with the little wounds that were caused by the close relationship with their companion, but the most important part of it, was the heat that came from the others. This way they were able to survive."

Moral of the story:
The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities.

Messages and Truths

After a while I lose track of where messages and truths come from. This quote "What you give out you get back" is a popular one I hear at many workshops and from many people.

You may know this universal truth as "Like attracts like" or "What goes round come around" or "All that I give, I give to myself". This statement, in its various forms is the one I have stubbed my toe on from time to time. It is the one I remind myself to absorb, so I can stay on course for inner peace.

If I want love in my life, love is what I must give, and not just to the object of my affection - to all people.

If I want others to be honest and trustworthy with me, I need to be scrupulously honest and trustworthy with everyone.

If I want support for my ideas, I need to support others in their dreams...encourage them to be the best they can be.

If I want people to be generous with their money, time and affection, I need to give generously in these areas myself.

I am learning to do none of these actions with the thought of return or reward. This would be an attempt at blackmailing my soul.

I think the Universe is not as picky as I am. It receives the messages that I am kind, caring, loving, happy, considerate and generous human being and decides I only want people like that in my life too.

I have noticed, over a period of time, as I practise this enthralling mastery of myself, that the people I once thought important could now seem shallow and petty. Others, who dwelt on the border of my life and seemed not to share my attitudes, slowly gained in credibility and interest to me.

One day I looked at my former colleagues and friends and realised either they had changed, or that I had. I found there were plenty of others walking my new path. I was not alone.

I have learnt to look critically at the things that annoy me in relationships, at work and at home. These are the issues I haven't learnt to deal with yet!

Celebrating a birthday at my house with my closest friends - November 2008