Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Life lag Part II

I do want to add to the former post - that although according to Pema Chodron we are supposed to accept ourselves the way we are - I do also know that she believes that we need to be mindful of what we put out into the world too. In one of her most recent books "Practicing Peace in Times of War" she talks about how we need to consider all our acts and to try not to put aggression and hostility out into the world.

This really hit home for me this past week. While Steve and I were in Spain, I found almost nothing to be mad about. I was quite happily drinking beer and eating tapas and the subways in Madrid come right on time (with those screens that tell you exactly when they are coming, which I love) and no one, not one person was nasty on the whole trip. And Steve and I got along quite well.

But within twenty-four hours of returning home, I was my normal shrewish self and I acted out with Steve about a stupid cake for a seder. So, although it's important to accept ourselves for who we are, it's also important not to indulge our bad behavior either. I find that when I am annoyed about something, I can be a bit snarky (and a bit like my mother) and I'm finding that pretty unacceptable these days.

I am a work in progress.


5 comments:

Mia said...

Maybe the lesson is to take another vacation—quick!

Robin Amos Kahn said...

I think you are absolutely right! Thank you.

anniemcq said...

I was experiencing some "post vacation" bitchiness here in our neck o' the woods too.

It's hard coming back to responsibilities and real life. It will get better. Or not. Just keep breathing in and out and know that you're loved for who you are.

Robin Amos Kahn said...

Oh, I like that. "PVB" - Post Vacation Bitchiness.

Yeah, the coming home to real life is a little challenging. Hopefully we're past it now. I think the shelf life on that is no more than 10 days.

And today actually feels like spring, so I'm going to enjoy it! Hope you feel better, Annie.

Jennifer Campaniolo said...

Isn't it nice to get away from the daily routine? Being somewhere else, with everything new and interesting, we don't have time to get easily irritated--we're too engaged in our surroundings. I love that about travel. But going home is always hard. The fact that you can recognize it is a big step to working on it.

Jennifer