On renewal

It is the start of a New Year, time once again, to cycle through the calendar. There was a January 1 last year, too, and the year before, and the year before that and so on, but each of those days were experienced differently, as is each moment.
As many of you know, I read one passage from the Dhammapada every day.  There are only 26 passages to read, so I re-read the same passage about 14 times a year, yet every time, it is a different, yet rewarding experience.
Today’s reading was from Flowers and the line that has stuck with me today is this: “Look to your own faults, what you have done or left undone. Overlook the faults of others.”
I think about how much time and energy people waste getting caught up in what other people do, getting upset about this and that, all the while, not subjecting themselves to the same scrutiny.
Personally, I find it very easy to join the ranks of the peanut gallery, the armchair quarterback, and worse. When I read this line, it reminds me to worry about myself, my actions, my thoughts, my beliefs. When I do remember to do this, whatever angst is caused by focusing on the faults of others melts away. Often, when I submit myself to the same scrutiny, I find myself guilty of the same things I’m judging someone else for, which is great, because it both keeps me honest, helping me identify when there is a gap between how I would like to act and how I have acted and it also helps me have compassion for the person who was initially the target of judgment.
So in the New Year, if you experience a moment where you find yourself  judging, try learning from it, and letting it go. You may be surprised and how much better a year you can have.