Everyone is Buddha

I have been reflecting on the people in my life that have assisted in my growth the most. One might think that the people who visibly support us are the ones that advance us the most. There is no doubt that these people do compel us forward and we thank them. Recently I have felt the joy of having someone I admire express their belief in my talents and it has inspired me to step up and meet that belief, proving myself worthy of it. It decidedly spurs me on. I have also been revisiting the pain of interactions with people who I have had discord with. People who make me bristle to my core and cause me to question myself, my abilities and my worthiness. These people have questioned my motives and intentions and I have cause to thank them. These people are Buddha. They inspire me to check in and ask myself the tough questions. These "difficult" people not only provide the opportunity for introspection they also provide an opportunity to practice compassion for myself and for them. They remind me to look past the words and gestures that are created in the body/mind and to remember that we are all connected and all doing our best at any given moment. They remind me that in my interactions with them I have the opportunity to choose. I can choose to be a victim or a victor. I have the opportunity to look at what is alive in me that contributes to the discord. Am I feeling defensive? Am I afraid? What am I afraid of? What might I be responsible for in creating the difficulty between us? Is there an opportunity to own my actions? To be more clean and clear in my communication with them? This is fodder for rich internal work. I have found that compassion is key in working through these questions. I am ever grateful for the presence of these Buddhas in my life.