I'm encouraged to participate in this November challenge with my church congregation.
Inspiring Compassion: The 30 Day Compassion Challenge. 30 days to explore the topic of compassion: Mindfulness, Compassion for Friends & Family, Self-Compassion, Compassion for All, Compassion for Our Planet.
Monday, I reached back.
An old friend, someone I was very close to at one time, reached out to me for my birthday. An ecard with a personal message: Gal, thinking about you and hope you are doing well.
My first response? I don't need this. I literally haven't heard from him since my Cubs won the World Series in 2016. I'd been very hurt by silence on my 2016 birthday and Christmas 2016, and then tried to let it go. Some bruises don't ever heal completely, though. I'd trusted him, thought we were part of one anothers lives. And then suddenly, and without any real explanation, radio silence.
So my birthday 2021 is special? What was wrong with 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020?
Then I thought, something must be going on in his life that made him reach out. So I reached back. I emailed back that I appreciated him remembering me on my special day and that I hoped he was well, too.
I felt better for having done it. Compassion for him, and compassion for me.
Your response reminds me of the quote that I have in my classroom, "always assume something kind." I hope you had a nice birthday and that your Thanksgiving is a good one.
ReplyDeleteWhat a thoughtful response. I'm going to remember that.
ReplyDeleteGood move. My guess is an all consuming relationship caused the silence. He may have finally gotten out of it and now is rebuilding. I'm doing some of that myself post-marriage...
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