See Yourself in Others

What do you do when you start to feel judgmental? What if compassion could help you gain clarity and perspective for your own life?

It was the first day on my road trip across America. And I was looking through the glass of a diner when she came into view.

The old woman pushing belongings in a wheelchair, with a dog beside her, lost her balance and was pulled down into the street by her canine companion.

She lay there helpless. I rushed out to offer assistance. A group of men sitting closer had already gathered around her by the time I arrived.

I returned inside, watching the woman through the glass, my heart aching, my coffee growing cold.

Someone reached down to help her. The woman’s dog barked, snarled, snapped: protecting her. She settled her dog and he covered her face with kisses.

As I watched, I suddenly thought, I’d love to give her a copy of my book. This seemed illogical. The woman might be homeless, certainly old and feeble, probably not traveling much these days.

She was helped up, and then disappeared. But I could not stop thinking of her.

Soon, the woman reappeared. Parked her dog and wheelchair in front of the diner.

I invited her to join me. “Yes, dear, I would love to,” she said.

She told me her companion was a wolf-dog hybrid. She had raised wolf-dogs much of her life.

I learned she was partly blind, partly deaf – the results of a recent stroke.

She, Mickey, told me of her past: trekking in the Andes, backpacking in Peru, mushing in Alaska.

I told her I had a gift for her. When I gave her a copy of my book, she held it with both hands, squinted until the words came into full view. “Change your life through travel,” she read aloud, then said, “Exactly.”

To my surprise, she reached across the table, held my hands, and recited a Sufi prayer. In her prayer, she wished me peace. In my book inscription to her, I wished her peace. I glanced out the windowpane beside us and saw our reflections, together, in the glass.

3 suggestions to spark, or sustain, this path to presence:

1. Imagine seeing others’ perspectives. Whenever you start to feel disconnected from someone, or judgmental, imagine seeing their perspective. “Walk a mile in [their] shoes,” as the song suggests. Ultimately, you gain a new viewpoint and greater connection along the way.
2. Connect with others. By connecting with others, you can find yourself – or at least pieces of yourself.
3. Stay present. This will help you recognize your messengers, which come in many disguises.

Jillian Robinson is on a mission! To have personal development taught as commonly as math and science. Mindfulness/Presence is being taught in some schools today. It’s a beginning! Imagine if kids were taught personal development topics all the time. How different would our lives be – personally, within families, communities, our world? If there’s anything Jillian can do with your organization or if you or your organization can aid in this mission, please email Jillian@JillianRobinson.com. Jillian advances this mission through media production, speaking and certified high performance coaching. Thank you for being part of this mission.