Last evening I went to the Km-Group Kali- Metta, which I translate as a place to share my life with good friends. The folks are kind , caring , and thoughtful and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be part of the group.
At the meeting last evening we first meditated and then shared the events of our lives over the last month. There were stories of success in profession, trips to Jerusalem for professional conferences with brilliant colleagues and friends, other trips to Italy celebrating the 50th wedding anniversary of a couple and their family , successes in a independent architectural firm, a long planned trip to Bolivia with jungle cruising and learning of the family of the new son-in-law, learning to use meditative devices to help in daily life and the joy of being in Wisconsin and walking on the beach.
There was also a birthday , we got to eat chocolate cake and sing Happy Birthday . What fun!
What somewhat surprised me as I listened to each of these stories is how much joy I got from the successes and happiness that each of the individuals had in telling of their tales.
The word that I have learned about that defines this is Mudita, empathetic joy. As with all things there are degrees of this but the purest form is the rejoicing in the spiritual accomplishments of others.
During the meeting last night I had the opportunity to rejoice in the happiness and satisfaction that my friends have in their lives. My only regret was that it did not extend longer. I learned of Mudita and how enriching it is in the life of person .
Mudita has extended out as I heard from an old friend of the return to health of her only child a daughter who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and has been successfully treated . While this ,of course , is the answer to our prayers the other subtle joy is seeing mom evolve deeper into her beauty , sensitivity, and love.
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