Day 2,544 —Love All People—(with a picture of a train)

I ran today without my headphones, feeling free running down hills with sandals. What a fabulous morning! 

It is always a little easier to be motivated when I am having a lighter week because of a race coming up. I spent the run thinking about the four agreements and ultimately what makes me happy and fulfilled. I know a lot of what I am saying has been said before. My humble attempt is just to provide my practical interpretation while trying to find what is integral and trying to make these guidelines more transparent when it comes to their intended meanings. 

So —love all people—it is not an agreement or a commandment or anything but for me it is the core to accepting yourself and your place in the universe, which is essential if you want to find joy.

A lot of people seem to have no problem with loving their children. Even the most notorious murders have a tendency to show kindness to their children and their families. A lot of people can even find a way to love their neighbors which in most cases are people that are a lot like them. 

However, can you love the people who you think are stupid and lazy? The people who make your blood boil? The people that you think are “the problem in this. . .” And I am not saying just to tolerate them. I am saying to actively love them. 

I am talking about acting in their best interest, putting them before you, sacrificing time and resources to help them, and giving them the benefit of the doubt while hearing them out. How many people do you think do that? 

It may sound crazy or impossible but start looking for ways to love the kinds of people that normally you would want to actively avoid. And you should pretend you are doing it to help them, but in reality, you may or may not help them, but you will help you if you can find a way to love them. 

Happy Day of Odin everybody!