Producing Compassion

I had a sort of end of summer gathering over this past weekend. We drank cheap prosecco (which means that Sunday was ruined by a hangover). I didn't even drink that much but still, ugh. I'm over the prosecco thing for a good long while (until the next drunken brawl). We had great food, good conversation and friendship.

I hit the farmer's market first thing that morning. This season provides the absolute best produce choices -- colors of produce are phenomenal. I gathered amber-colored Thompson, tiny, deep-purple champagne and red seedless grapes, vine-ripened clusters, tasting sweet -- to go with three cheeses, Italian truffle, triple cream brie and cave-aged Gruyere (my personal favorite); a small-ish baguette, and crackers.

I forced everyone to try the POMx coffee that I had received from the good folks at POM. Tasting coffee at the beginning of a get-together may seem a bit weird but I had a captive audience. I am not one to let them get off too easy. I love to hear other people's opinions (for a few seconds). Consensus has it that the POMx tasted similar to Starb**ks but was far less sweeter which is a good thing, imho. The coffee tasted good though we were quickly on to the cheap(ass) prosecco. I'm not sure the bottled coffee is something I'd buy bottled when fresh-brewed coffee seems available everywhere. I'd try my best to support POM over that other company mostly because they've been very gracious. And I love a good gracious.

With my hangover weighing me down more than usual, the next morning I went to Weight Watchers. I didn't feel like staying for the meeting though I stayed... I couldn't talk about this weeks subject - foods that entice or barbecuing for dummies or whatever it was. I felt queasy. Coffee (not even POMx!) would cure this feeling of quease. I was going to a class on enlightenment later that that morning that I didn't want to miss - (should have taken *any* enlightenment class prior to prosecco drinking!)

Later that afternoon I went to a bookstore where a little man came up to me. He started talking about religion, and assorted philosophical theorems (while I slept). He spoke of people who are his teachers, with whom he's taken refuge, and at who's feet he was initiated. My head was swimming - this is a whole new language. I was really grateful (almost religiously so) when I found out he actually worked at the store. He said that in this area there are (either) Tibetan Buddhists or followers of Amma. (Well, I'll be! I had no idea.) Then the little man told me when the rug feels as if it's been yanked out from underneath, to consider the rug more of a flying carpet. I like that idea (very much) though it means that I will continue to focus on learning to be more open, flexible, spontaneous, and accepting.

SHIT!

Speaking of acceptance, I received notice of acceptance to the 9 month intensive training in non-violent (compassionate) communication. So start paying attention and see if you can tell that I am sounding more compassionate. During last Monday night's practice group I learned how to approach the advice giving person that I had difficulty with in my recent support group. We role-played how this approach could look and sound. I'm working on practicing -- how to let her know without offense, that her advice-giving ways make me want to shut-down. I will practice, and then, just to show them who's boss, I'll stay at home during the next support group meeting.