today, feeling a growing appreciation for those in my life who are honest, forthright; feeling strong in my willingness to hear difficult things from others and caring enough to say them to others when the time calls. i don't fear the hurt that honesty can cause; i welcome it when it intermittently punctuates a connection...i feel safe in trusting that, then, to be a real, dependable connection that's based truly in compassion and not need nor opportunism. too often, in this game of life, an anemic honesty is sidelined so that a hefty self-interest can run onto the field and play...i'm learning that my team of emotions and qualities don't play well with teams that are stacked with such dissimilar players and teams that don't give all their members equal opportunity to play the field.

each step i take, my legs become stronger, my gaze softer and more centered, my breathing more controlled. going forward on faith. nothing pulling me; no promises being made, just going...


'Compassion wears Saturn's rings on the fingers of her left hand. she is intimate with the life force. she understands the meaning of sacrifice. she is not afraid to die. there is nothing you cannot tell her. Compassion speaks with a slight accent. she was a vulnerable child, miserable in school, cold, shy, alert to the pain in the eyes of her sturdier classmates. the other kids teased her about being too sentimental, and for a long time she believed them. in the ninth grade, she was befriended by Courage. Courage lent Compassion bright sweaters, explained the slang, showed her how to play volleyball, taught her you can love people and not care about what they think about you. in many ways Compassion is still the stranger, neither wonderful, nor terrible, herself, utterly, always.'