'Garlic Heart'

'Garlic Heart'

In listening to some of Byron Katie's work, I was reminded of how peoples 'Opinions' become stinky to us because of what we attach to them. The beauty of someone expressing an HONEST opinion, even if it is different than our own, is really a gift! It's the honest you can focus on rather than the opinion. Their opinions do not have to have anything to do with our response!!! Whew. We can be grateful for their honesty and continue to choose our actions based on our integrity. Isn't that freeing? It was for me. In a situation that normally I would focus on the passive-aggressive statement (notice my judgement!) and how inappropriate it was, I was able to think to myself:  "I appreciate your expression of what you think and feel." What a relief. That freed me up to let them have their opinion and me to have my opinion without any discomfort of thinking I had to 'fix it' or 'fix them'.  I actually enjoyed the time rather than being inwardly upset by my interpretation and judgement. Opinions can be like the strong smell of garlic. If we resist them, they stink. Otherwise, we may hear those strong opinions and then look to find the heart in them.