Perhaps the biggest challenge for an individual in truly embracing Loving Kindness, is how to relate to other beings who aren’t in a reciprocal state of being. For any number of reasons, other beings may not be feeling that Loving Kindness is the way for them in general, or even in just a particular moment of interaction, or perhaps they are acting out from a wound they carry.
This phenomenon is inherent in nature in the ways that a wild animal may see us as a meal, rather than a friend. One way this plays out in humans is when a person may not even believe in the value of Loving Kindness or believe that it would never be reciprocated even if they did. To embody Loving Kindness towards even those who are incapable of reciprocating is perhaps the highest form of Love. Firm boundaries from our own self-Love (sovereignty) ensures we are also honoring ourselves.
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Stewardship Matters