HOW FAR WE'VE COME...
We designed this bracelet for Day 4 of COLLAB Week at the Lotus Sky studio, inspired by @jentlepower's recommendation on Instagram that we take inspiration from the song by Matchbox 20.
Again, this was a song we had to look up and watch the music video for, however, we are happy with the ombre flame transitioning into uncertain static, capturing the plaintive mantra of the song, “Let's see how far we've come,” amid turmoil and difficulty.
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Sometimes it seems we are in the worst of all tests and a despair takes over- a sense of things being out of our control and the world being not quite right.
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All people contend with these emotions- no human escapes suffering and endings.
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However, this inescapable fact also means that we are all ONE and can unite to create meaning through love and kindness, embracing the knowledge that things as we know them will, eventually, cease for all of us.
As we face one of the biggest hurdles in Lotus Sky herstory, this has particular resonance for us.
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Yesterday we wrote that “Hurt people hurt people...” But these hurt people are not just others, they are also us. We too must acknowledge our own hurt and fear so that we can move beyond these primary emotions toward productive and healing responses.
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Any time our reactions to situations are motivated by hurt or fear, the result will be more hurt or fear. The only way to escape this cycle- to really see how far we have come both as individuals and as humanity- is to see that when others hurt us, they are just afraid.
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If we respond by wanting to hurt them, we are giving into fear, rather than finding compassion for our brother or sister who is hurting.
Although certainly not intended, we must face that something we have done HAS caused another company to feel hurt. In return, they have hurt us.
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But, the real question is, “How far have we come?” How can we dig deep into our souls and see them not as the “Other,” but as our own hurt selves reflected back at us?
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This is the task before us now- to find compassion for those who hurt us. This is the true test of “How far we've come..”
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As we reflect on this, tell us: How do you find compassion in challenging situations? How do you strive to love others, even when they cause you pain or suffering?
Your advice and thoughts are deeply appreciated. Thank you!
8 comments
Something I learned about compassion is, it isn’t a magic potion that if you give someone it will cure them of their negatively directed emotions. I used to think if I was kind and compassionate toward someone who was cruel or mean to me, they would stop. When they continued to be cruel though, I figured compassion doesn’t work so why not be mean back? It took me years to realize that, like how I was trying to improve their mood with compassion, they were trying to bring me to their emotional state with their aggression. In realizing this, I worked better to be compassionate despite how the other person responded and what I discovered is, even if my compassion didn’t fix this one person(s), it did get noticed by others around the situation, leading to connections with like-minded people that made me even forget about the original negative person.
Even though I am being compassionate to someone who is hurting me, I will not give them more of me than that. I have tried to love someone despite their cruelty and found I was loving myself less in the process. I didn’t like the person who I was becoming, still trying to love and understand this person who basically began to delight in finding me to be their new punching bag. In realizing this, I decided to remain compassionate and kind but, would not give away myself and my love as freely to them until I thought they would receive it, and not just use it against me. Ultimately, even if it put me in tough situations, I have gotten through it, slightly worn and weathered but, still happy and loving I who I see when I look at my reflection <3
That’s a hard question. The company that hurt you may be doing it not out of hurt or anger but greed. If you’re their competition, they’d make more profit if your company shut down. In the US that’s called a monopoly which is illegal.
In my own experience, the only thing that has changed my heart is letting Christ Jesus in. When you give Him control of your life, there are His benefits.
In Psalm 103:1-12
He saves you and gives you eternal life. He strengthens you. He loves you like no other. He supplies all your needs. And He never leaves you. He protects you. You can sense His voice as He guides you daily. He gives you His Peace or Shalom. He gives you health. So much more.
My wish for you is that you get to know Him personally. Ask Him to come into your heart, be your Savior, and give Him your life. You’ll never be the same!
I am catholic so I believe in the power of prayer. When I feel that someone has wronged me, my first instinct is to retaliate and hurt then like they hurt me. I know how wrong this behavior is, I try my best to just let it roll off my back and I pray asking God to give me peace, I try my best to forgive the offense, as God calls me to do. When you’re hurt and someone is trying to destroy your business I can understand how difficult it is to forgive. All I can say is stand back up, as you have done, brush yourself off and keep moving forward. Your customers that are aware of the situation and understand what is really happening will continue to support you and your business. You will continue to pick up new customers!! You make lovely bracelets and you have an amazing company. Pray without ceasing. God Bless you and your hard work and diligence.