May you be happy

Metta is often translated as "loving kindness" or "goodwill" which is a meditative practice in Buddhism. I started practicing Metta a few years ago, and it is probably one of the most powerful practices I've experienced. Here's how the all knowing Wikipedia describes it:

"Mettā meditation: the practice of loving-kindness
Mettā signifies friendship and non-violence as well as "a strong wish for the happiness of others", but also less obvious or direct qualities such as showing patience, receptivity, and appreciation. Though it refers to many seemingly disparate ideas, Mettā is in fact a very specific form of love – a caring for another independent of all self-interest – and thus is likened to one's love for one's child or parent. Understandably, this energy is often difficult to describe in words; however, in the practice of Mettā meditation, one recites specific words and phrases in order to evoke this "boundless warm-hearted feeling." The strength of this feeling is not limited to or by family, religion, or social class. Indeed, Mettā is a tool that permits one's generosity and kindness to be applied to all beings and, as a consequence, one finds true happiness in another person's happiness, no matter who the individual is."

I often practice Metta while waiting in line at the grocery store. I'll look at the people around me and silently say to them "may you be happy" or "may you be peaceful." Or, while I'm doing cardio at the gym I'll send love to the other people around me and then extend that to every person I can think of. Sometimes stopped at a red light, I'll send love to the other drivers. Especially drivers that cut me off, or give me lovely gestures with their fingers. They need it the most. What I learn in this practice is: that how we see someone does not depend on who they are, it depends on the eyes in which we see.

This practice is powerful because it makes me softer and feel fuller. In a culture that celebrates toughness, it can be challenging to stay supple, flexible and open. Yet, being soft allows us to feel, to be yielding, and see beyond our own myopic views of the world. Inviting a softer view can enable us to become much more accepting of people, because they don't need to be so different from us if we already feel complete, full, settled and at peace. It becomes easier to allow people to be who they are because they are no longer threatening to us.

I heard a wonderful view to approach our lives: Imagine everyone in the world is a Buddha except one, you. Just by thinking in this way we give ourselves permission to let go of being right, or needing to control or change situations and each other. We can allow everything to be as it is, and accept everyone as they already are, and be open to learning from each.