Crooked Hearts

 'O look, look in the mirror,

O look in your distress: 

Life remains a blessing,

Although you cannot bless.

O stand, stand at the window

As the tears scald and start;

You shall love your crooked neighbour 

With  your crooked heart.'

W.H. Auden from As I went Out One Evening   https://poets.org/poem/i-walked-out-one-evening

I wrote a big spiel this morning about the crookedness of others hearts. Oh, I briefly mentioned mine but I made it a point to point a finger and call the others crooked, self-righteous, and acting out of pain and vengeance. I made it a point to talk about what they were seeing in us and how they were judging us as crooked.

Hmm! Does that not echo Auden's words beautifully?  Here I am with my crooked heart (full of samskaras: stuffed and stored feelings and events) looking out the window at others  and judging them  as crooked as they are judging me.

Sigh! I don't know what these people are seeing and thinking. I can feel the pain and I can justify anger and resentment in this, I can...but man oh man...it is hard to deal with their crooked agenda because it is hard to deal with my own crooked heart.

All is well