BEYOND FORGIVENESS
Alexandra Stoddard has a good one today in her Grace Notes: "Don't fight back. It's better to go for a long walk than raise your blood pressure. You are in control of how you respond to the behavior of others, not how well or badly others behave." Reminds me of the song, "The Gambler"--"You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, know when to run." But what happens if you can't walk or run away?

Doctors are taught to handle difficult patients by pausing and acknowledging their own anger, listening to the negativity, and then empathizing with the person, which doesn’t mean agreeing with them, but rather offering understanding, compassion, and sympathy. We can do the same.

I think for me one of life's hardest lessons has been to know when to stand and fight and when "to accept whatever is," surrender, and get on with my life. I'm still learning.