I have some wonderful people in my life. I have always had this thing where I feel really selfish in my relationships and I am trying to change that. I am trying to become more confident in my ability to be a good friend but I am also trying to remember to thank the people who have helped me, who have made a difference, who matter in my life. I am trying to give them credit and praise and remind myself how lucky I am to have such beautiful people in my life. I think that part of being a Buddhist, or trying to live a Buddhist life to be thankful, to remember to live with compassion but do not be attached to what you have been given by others. Do not be attached to their attitudes, their help, their compassion or your feelings towards them. This is by far my most difficult task. I get very attached, very quickly to most people, places and things. I live in a world where nothing changes, I mean seriously I am still 21 in my head and in my heart. I find the words I am 31 hard to say. Sometimes it’s a good thing and sometimes it’s a bad thing I guess.

So I will leave you with the Noble Eightfold Path which I think will help explain what I am talkin about. I am always trying to practice these principals. I think thankfulness and recognition is part of this. Your ego will always be selfish and try and tell you that you deserve help, you deserve the things that are given because you are a good person. But it is not so. You are compassionate because you want to be, because it is right, not because you expect of deserve compassion back.

1^st step: Right understanding.

In order to understand well the four noble truths, the three characteristics of the universe, which we name: anicca: the impermanent character of things, dukkha: The unsatisfactory character of things, and anatta: The character of absence of self-inherent reality in things.

2^nd step: Right thought.

It lies in cultivating thoughts free from jealousy, ill will and cruelty.

3^rd step: Right speech.

To abstain from false speech, from malicious gossip, from coarse and vain talks.

4^th step: Right action.

Not to kill, not to steal, refraining from sexual misconduct.

5^th step: Right livelihood.

To earn one’s living in a worthy way by being totally honest and by shunning the practices of weapons, living beings or animal flesh trafficking, inclusive of poisons’, liquors’ (and drugs’) sales.

6^th step: Right endeavor.

The effort to overcome what is unfavourable, the effort to avoid what is unfavourable, the effort to develop what is favourable and the effort to promote what is favourable.

7^th step: Right mindfulness (attention).

The contemplation of the body, the feelings, the mind and phenomena (vipassaná).

8^th step: Right concentration.

This is the one-pointedness of the mind concentrated on a single object. The eight steps of the eight fold path are naturally developed as soon as we turn our attention to reality. That is the case during the practice of vipassaná, method which has been taught by Buddha as being the only means leading to the experience of nibbána.

There is no fire like greed,
No crime like hatred,
No sorrow like separation,
No sickness like hunger of heart,
And no joy like the joy of freedom.

Health, contentment and trust
Are your greatest possessions,
And freedom your greatest joy.

Look within. Be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
Know the sweet joy of living in the way.

from the Dhammapada, Words of the Buddha