Karma

I seem to be coming out the other end from a particularly nasty dip, as I mentioned earlier this week. You never really know when you're going to have an episode of depression or mania, although there are signs. But sometimes things just strike you seemingly out of the blue, and that's when people get hurt.

My husband did a kind thing for me when I was most upset: he made me cocoa. This proves that he loves me, as I love cocoa, and wouldn't have bothered to ever make it for myself.

That's good karma. I was talking with my kids today about karma, because we had to deliver a classmate's books to her nearby house. My son was trying to talk about it but he didn't have the words--he said, "Do you think we'll get something by doing this?" and when I pushed him to be more specific, he said "Nevermind", but I probed on, being the verbose and the aspiring Buddhist that I am.

I told them there's good karma and bad karma, and that if you do good things in the world, good things will happen to you. I may have mentioned the concept of merit, albeit briefly, which prompted my daughter to say,"Mom, you know so much about Buddhism!" to which I replied, "Compared to some people, maybe, but I'm just a beginner compared to other Buddhists".

So my kids are thinking about karma. I think that's a good thing. Put out what you would like to receive (That's what she said) Sorry, no, seriously, put positivity out to others and they will give it back to you. Even just a feeling of accomplishment at helping someone is a mental bonus, or good karma, whether you're keeping track of merit points or not. So now we're all thinking about karma. And hoping to send out good stuff. That's okay by me.