Evening, 9/11/07

Meditating tonight with the metta phrases, wishing all beings happiness, wellness, and peace. Feels calming to wish happiness, wellness, and peace for myself, my parents, my friends, my relatives, strangers, enemies, and all beings, excluding no one. Without judging whether I really believe wishing for happiness, wellness, and peace can have an effect, I just do it. I have been thinking the metta phrases off and on throughout the day, just making the wish and observing what happens with my own attitude. On a day that has been difficult in some ways, I have been able to get through things relatively calmly, just doing what needs to be done. Yet, I have set limits for myself, respecting myself, not expecting more of myself than what is reasonable. And, I honored my limits and let go of what was beyond the limits I set for myself. For today, I have more appreciation for my life and the lives of others.