Speaking of karma, soul contracts and life purpose...

[get the red out]

25. Thank you, and I agree

[Not only did I not get any of what I'd hoped for, but somebody who has sincerely dedicated herself to compassion, wrote something along the lines of "Thank you for agreeing to take on this horrible experience so the rest of us don't have to." ]

One thing I keep noticing in various lines of spiritual thought is that it can go so far that it loops back on itself and inadvertantly becomes cruel and decidedly non-spiritual. A lot of times it takes the form of blaming the victim, as in your case. I have participated in a recovery group for close to 20 years and see it there as well when people take the responsibility idea to such a length that it sometimes ends in a blame the victim mentality there as well. I also used to see it online with some devotees of "The Secret" where someone could even be blamed for their own illness because of thinking that created it.

Problems are a condition of the physical world. Someone else having a problem in no way prevents my having a problem. The way I look at it is opposite, if I can be compassionate to someone else with a problem then when I have problems maybe I can spare a little compassion for myself, or maybe I learned from the other person how to deal. We're here to help each other through after all.

On Cheney, I think what plays out will be interesting. I don't envy the man, not one bit. I have no clue what kind of physical and emotional pain a heart transplant entails. I do know that I watched my Dad fight heart disease, and his decline was in no way fun. After he had had four open heart surgeries and was debilitated from the final two, cancer took over with a giant blast while his resistance was nil and it was over for him a week after diagnosis. It was just horrible, and from that experience I feel that Cheney may prolong his life, but he may not be making the best decision for himself in doing so, but it is his decision, his path.