The Guest House



THE GUEST HOUSE
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
-Rumi

A quiet CNY this time leaves much space for introspection.

I should do this more often. Do nothing.

In fact my next New Year, I aim to celebrate it in another country altogether. Try something different. Do something new. No more trying to please or be extravagantly good to people, hoping somehow to be validated, like the child I once was.

Sometimes people closest to you are indeed the ones who hurt you the most. So you have to learn to let go and put yourself first. You are your own validation. You didnt ask to be born. You didnt ask to be born into a certain set of circumstances or people. Lose the baggage. You will struggle. You will cry. You will get mad.

Know this: You are alive with all the possibilities ahead. You can re-write your story. Be grateful for all things, great and small. Don't let other people's negativity bring you down. You've gotten this far and done this much. Be kind to yourself, first and foremost. Cry and get mad for a while. Then think of all the good things. There there always, somewhere. There's always something to smile about.

Smile. And then let go. And move on.

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