Deliver me from…

I spent 2.5 days with a very dear friend some time ago.

Her husband was also in residence during the weekend.

I tried to engage him in conversation, trying to understand who he was and what made him tick.

“Who do you admire?” I asked.

He admired NO one but himself.

He respected his religious leader and no one else.

He refused to accept a “happy birthday” email from his teenage grandson because “If he loved me he would pick up the phone.”

He refused to speak to his dying sister because “she would still die.”

He was fascinating in the way that tree stumps are fascinating.

You knew there was life once upon a time, but you could never know the quality or utility of that life.

He made many things clear to me. He was a great teacher.

I learned that there is no expiry date for empathy or compassion. I will continue to share and deepen those skills till the day I die.

I learned that there are millions of people more thrilling than I and if someone asks who I admire, I want to recite a list as long as the circumference of the earth and all the planets. I must continue to meet people in order to create such a list.

I learned that not every living person is fully investing in life and that I need to limit my exposure to them, lest they infect me with their ennui.

I learned that I know how to set boundaries with difficult people and not have to explain myself.

I learned that I have a lot to learn.

I have lived 66 years and have never met such a negative person in all my life.

I am indeed blessed.

Friends,

Pay attention to the people you share energy with and gather around people with healing energies.

Deliver us from emotional vampires.

Always on your side,

Indrani