LESSON OF THE DAY 471

Ayah of the Day:
And it is God who has subjected the sea, that you may eat fresh flesh from it, and extract from it ornaments for you to wear. and you see the ships ploughing the waves thereupon, that you may seek of God's bounty, and that you may be grateful. [16: 14]

Hadith of the Day:
Among the most evil of people are the two-faced; those who approach this group with one face and that group with another. [Bukhari]

Wise Quote of the Day:
The world is not a commodity worth arguing over. [Hafiz Shirazi]

Guidance of the Day:
Let's take a moment to discuss separate realities. If you have traveled to foreign countries or seen depiction's of them in movies, you are aware of vast differences among cultures. The principle of separate realities says that the differences among individuals is every bit as vast. Just as we wouldn't expect people of different cultures to see or do things as we would (in fact, we'd be disappointed if they did), this principle tells us that the individual differences in our ways of seeing the world prohibit this as well. It's not a matter of merely tolerating differences but of truly understanding and honoring the fact that it literally can't be any other way.

I have seen an understanding of this principle change lives. It can virtually eliminate quarrels. When we expect to see things differently, when we take it as a given that others will do things differently and react differently to the same stimuli, the compassion we have for ourselves and for others rises dramatically. The moment we expect otherwise, the potential for conflict exists. I encourage you to consider deeply and respect the fact that we are all very different. When you do, the love you feel for others as well as the appreciation you have for your own uniqueness will increase. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]

Food for Thought:
One of the cardinal rules of joyful living is that judging others takes a great deal of energy and, without exception, pulls you away from where you want to be.