With the recent New Year celebration, I spent the Eve’ at a local bar with my boyfriend, enjoying cocktails together and joining everyone on the dance floor for the big countdown. Our time spent at the bar was a nice way to send off 2024 and welcome the future with plenty of happy strangers. It didn’t take long for the floor to get crowded, after a few dances and countless celebratory kisses, we walked back to the train and headed home for the night.
Just a few hours later, on the dawn of the following day, we cleaned up nice and got dressed to attend the annual New Year service at the local Buddhist temple. We arrived early enough to secure a spot in line near the gated entrance. We were greeted by some friends while waiting to enter and even got seating priority from our friends volunteering for the day. It felt good to be seen and welcomed by everyone.
During the Goma ritual, we chanted along with others as we normally do. On this day, it felt good to be part of the service. Almost as though the act of prayer was not only for myself, my needs or desires, but this effort was truly helping others. I didn’t know what to focus on for myself, but I had some visions of my family during that time. I felt like my prayer was intended for every person I’ve ever crossed paths and cared about.
My boyfriend recently shared some sentiments from his own Buddhist lessons, regarding emotions. When experiencing something intense, such as anger or sadness, imagine feeling through that emotion of every person on Earth. He tells me this is an example of practicing compassion, but even the thought of processing that much emotional weight brought tears to my eyes. This is something I have yet to fully grasp and still need to learn.
At the beginning of the new year, I realized that my current romantic relationship gives me space to feel so much. It's an amazing feeling to be supported on some of my most difficult days and still be offered comfort when I'm ready to love again. I don't feel that I'm being judged or scrutinized and I can simply exist with this person. I hope that my role in their life gives them the freedom to feel the same. It’s nice experiencing different aspects of each other while growing as a couple.
There's much to do and learn, the year has just begun.
# # # # #
Polite Freya
Relief to Pay
Just a few hours later, on the dawn of the following day, we cleaned up nice and got dressed to attend the annual New Year service at the local Buddhist temple. We arrived early enough to secure a spot in line near the gated entrance. We were greeted by some friends while waiting to enter and even got seating priority from our friends volunteering for the day. It felt good to be seen and welcomed by everyone.
During the Goma ritual, we chanted along with others as we normally do. On this day, it felt good to be part of the service. Almost as though the act of prayer was not only for myself, my needs or desires, but this effort was truly helping others. I didn’t know what to focus on for myself, but I had some visions of my family during that time. I felt like my prayer was intended for every person I’ve ever crossed paths and cared about.
My boyfriend recently shared some sentiments from his own Buddhist lessons, regarding emotions. When experiencing something intense, such as anger or sadness, imagine feeling through that emotion of every person on Earth. He tells me this is an example of practicing compassion, but even the thought of processing that much emotional weight brought tears to my eyes. This is something I have yet to fully grasp and still need to learn.
At the beginning of the new year, I realized that my current romantic relationship gives me space to feel so much. It's an amazing feeling to be supported on some of my most difficult days and still be offered comfort when I'm ready to love again. I don't feel that I'm being judged or scrutinized and I can simply exist with this person. I hope that my role in their life gives them the freedom to feel the same. It’s nice experiencing different aspects of each other while growing as a couple.
There's much to do and learn, the year has just begun.
# # # # #
Polite Freya
Relief to Pay
I Pray to Feel
Comments
Post a Comment