...one choice, one time

When you think of me, Otherness,
call to mind your mercy,
your compassion,
timeless, ageless.
Put away from you 
the memories of 
my missed marks, 
my rebelliousness;
see me through the lens of
your changeless love,
because you are love.
---Psalm 25:6-7 (para. laca)

When we think of someone, we have a choice. We can choose to think of them in light of who they are and what they have done. Or we can choose to evaluate them in light of who we are. This choice is a fundamental, bedrock decision for us.

Choose the former, and we will be making continual decisions based on circumstances beyond our control, overwhelmed with stimuli and variables. Each person will be judged on their choices and behaviors at every given moment, at every interaction with us. Whew.

Choose the latter, and we see others through the lens of our own compassion, and treat them accordingly. Consistently, compassionately. Based not on who they are, or what kind of mess they've gotten into, but on who we are, on our own depth of compassion. One choice, one time, acted on continually.

I choose continual compassion.