Doing the Best We Can
"It helps if you remember that everyone is doing their
best from their level of consciousness."
Deepak Chopra
What if you knew that every person you meet is doing the best they can? How would that change your perception and interactions with the people in your life? Usually, if we are honest, we feel just the opposite. We often judge and criticize others for not being who we think they should be, as if we have some kind of magical insight into how they should behave, and how they should live their lives. You may have noticed that, people seem to know perfectly well how others should live their lives, but often don't have a clue when it comes to their own. In these judgements, we often push away the very people we say we love, and alienate them at times when they may need us the most.
The truth is that, in each moment, despite what the mind (the voice in our head) tells us; everyone is doing the best they can given their level of Awareness at that moment, and that includes ourselves. In the acceptance of this one truth, we find the key to feeling loving-kindness for ourselves and others, and also the way to make all of our relationships harmonious and flowing. In this truth we see clearly that the greatest catalyst for change in a relationship is to simply let others be as they are, without needing to fix or change them.
The simple recognition that everyone we meet is exactly where they need to be, and doing the best that they can, relieves us of the burden of our own judgments and opinions, and allows for an even greater openness towards everyone we meet. In this allowing others to be, we find the secret ingredient that immediately transforms every relationship into one of harmony and joy. When others feel that they can simply be themselves when they are around us, without having to worry about our cherished opinions or judgments about how they should be, they relax and know that they can trust us to be there for them no matter what. In this allowing others to be as they are, we open a door for a new kind of relationship; one that is based on unconditional love and freedom.