Miri: Making the Teachings Personal

My relationship with my step-father had always been rocky. I found him to be angry, loud, and inconsiderate. And then there was me – I’ve always been strong-willed. I wouldn’t give an inch…there was a lot of aggression from both sides. After I started going to Dharma classes, I read Eight Steps to Happiness and decided to really apply the meditations very personally to my relationship with him. Rather than just thinking, “what is the benefit of cherishing others?”, I’d think “what is the benefit of cherishing him?” and so on. I was really working with this relationship on the inside. Going home that Christmas was completely different. It wasn’t as though I was suddenly happy to see him, but I knew I wasn’t willing to get angry and fight anymore. I was able to be open and have compassion towards him instead of just feeling anger and constantly sharpening my knives to be ready for our next encounter. That completely changed the relationship from both sides, and it showed me that if you’re willing to let the teachings transform you, they really will.