Our Blessed Mother is the embodiment of a soft heart. That’s something I strive for, but it’s difficult.
It’s not about being soft, letting others walk over me. Mary is a wonderful example, of someone who never took her eyes off her life purpose.
Even when it meant the death of her Son.
For me, a soft heart is about:
- Understanding that we’re all fallen beings,
- And therefore cutting people some slack,
- Especially myself
I find that this is hardest for those closest to me, like my kids. It’s difficult to give up my parenting instinct to tell them how to run their lives.
But it’s also surprisingly hard for those most distant from me! It’s easy to criticize those in positions of power, of those living in other countries, of those who don’t seem to “have their life together.”
So the more I realize I also don’t “have my life together,” the easier it is to be forgiving and supportive of them.
The more I see the mistakes I make as a leader, the easier it is to have compassion for those in power.
And the more I interact with people in different countries, the easier it is to realize that we’re all just doing the best we can on this little planet.
Lord, harden not my heart!