Post-Election Thoughts #3

The Buddhist monk Ajahn Sumedho had been given the task of building up a new monastery in England. He went back to Thailand to visit his teacher Ajahn Chah, who asked him how things were going. He replied that everything was great, all the people were wonderful, and everything was going smoothly. Ajahn Chah grunted and said " well you will never learn anything that way!" Bad times are tests of our mettle and our ability to maintain equanimity, peace, and grace. We learn the most about ourselves and our strengths when things go wrong, not when things are going well. Welcome this time with openness and use it as an opportunity to see inside yourself, to learn and grow.