Old Habits Die Hard

It's far too easy in this at times wretched world 
to forget how truly wondrous the world can be.
Too easy to be hard on ourselves, comparing ourselves
with others, judging harshly, criticizing.

Looking on the world with eyes of love requires of us
to firstly look upon ourselves with eyes of love,
and all of this demands the vulnerability of an open heart.

I realize that I often demand too much of myself and others as well. Being a forty one year old idealist is far from ideal at times.
It makes me harken back to the first poem I ever wrote when I was eight years old. My teacher at the time read it to the class. It was called Some People and it went like this:

Some people are old,
some people are young,
some people are mean
and stick out their tongue.

Some people are nice
like you and me,
but if you aren't 
please try to be.

I  desperately still want the world to be a more loving and compassionate place although I know that it is difficult  at times to harden not your heart. (Hebrews) I honestly believe  that remembering to LOVE one another even when it is difficult, is the only true way to keep our hearts soft. Besides, who couldn't use a caring gesture and a little extra love? I guess old habits die hard.



Jill MacCormack