| What is the definition of a 'difficult' person? Do you | | | | She answered, "Nobody ever hugged me before or |
| ever wonder why some people are difficult to be | | | | said they loved me." Here was a child crying out for |
| with? | | | | love and every one thought she was just being difficult. |
| A difficult person may be someone who was | | | | As we get older we still crave love, and so we act |
| physically or verbally abused as a child. They may | | | | out, like that little girl that just wanted someone to say, |
| have been dyslexic, uncoordinated or bullied in school. | | | | "I love you." |
| Life may have been very difficult for them, and they've | | | | Using this viewpoint, there is no such thing as a 'difficult' |
| carried this over into their adult life. | | | | person, only someone who behaves differently from |
| Everyone is looking for love in their own way, but a | | | | our model of how they should be behaving. It's good to |
| 'difficult' person may not think they deserve love or | | | | remember that from their point of view, they may be |
| even know how to receive love. They may not know | | | | doing just fine and may be thinking about how difficult |
| what love is all about or how to let people into their life. | | | | you are. |
| Couldn't this apply to most people? | | | | When you become more aware of your own feelings, |
| When you think of a person who is 'difficult', put | | | | stop running on automatic drive, and start taking control |
| yourself in their shoes to see how you would react if | | | | of your own life with positive feelings, you will be |
| you had their lifestyle, their upbringing, or their | | | | surprised at how much easier it is to deal with 'difficult' |
| programming. | | | | people. |
| In the Bible, Luke 6:41: says "Why do you look at the | | | | LOOK FOR THE COMMON GROUND |
| speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no | | | | By Tom Dalton |
| attention to the plank in your own eye?" Other people | | | | Living in a world of people, how do we survive? |
| are our mirror. What we may not like about another | | | | Living with so many people, when will we realize |
| person reflects something we may not like about | | | | You and 1, we're so alike. You and 1, we're so a like. |
| ourselves. | | | | And when I feel that I am right and you are wrong |
| Try not to judge. We are often not aware of how | | | | I just smile when I see your face |
| judgmental we are. We think that people are not 'using | | | | Remember there's a oneness space. |
| their heads' when they do not think the same way we | | | | Try to see the world through your eyes |
| do. Accept people for what they are, not what you | | | | And even If our point of view may seem to disagree |
| want them to be. | | | | There's something we can understand, |
| Everyone works out of his or her own programming. It | | | | I think that you'll agree. |
| is our programming that creates our actions and also | | | | We have to look for the common ground, |
| influences the reactions of people around us. | | | | You can find it all around |
| Difficult Children | | | | Look for the love in everyone |
| I remember how it was when I was volunteering at the | | | | Even if it's hard to see, you can find the unity. |
| Children's Receiving Home, a home for children that | | | | Just look for the love in everyone. |
| were very difficult, especially those who ran away | | | | In our living day to day, it's easy to forget |
| repeatedly. | | | | All our talk of brotherhood Just doesn't seem to fit. |
| Every evening before I left to go home, I would go | | | | There's a lot of broken hearts with nothing left to |
| around the room and give each child a hug and say, "I | | | | believe |
| love you." | | | | Now it's time we made a start, |
| There was one little girl about 6-years-old who was a | | | | It's up to you and me. |
| constant runaway. After I hugged her and said "I love | | | | Look for that common ground, |
| you" she started to cry. | | | | Look for the love in everyone. |
| "Why are you crying?" I asked. | | | | |