When do we start living what we speak, teach or know.  I have known for years not to take things personally and I’ve been unable to live that knowledge in tough moments.  I certainly love to take compliments personally but in doing so I invite in scorn and blame.  The Tao says in creating beauty we create ugliness.  So it is with praise and blame.  This is the realm of opposites and everything in between.  I’m hoping I’ve moved a little further away from the extreme opposites with praise and blame, neither craving one nor collapsing with the other.  This weekend I was once again challenged with taking someone’s actions as a personal insult or letting them go as just their actions and having nothing to do with me.  A few moments were spent brooding with the pain of the actions and how they affected my life.  Then I was pleased to see an opening and lifting of the hurt.  I knew I was projecting a story onto his actions that had nothing to do with me.  Inconvenient as his behavior may have been to my projected plans I was able to know I was taking it personally and pull back from anger and negative reactions.  Wow!  Now what will happen next time.  It almost feels like a switch has gone off.  I like that story!  We shall see when once again I am disappointed or blamed….or praised.  One day at a time!  And so it goes!