Compassion, Understanding, and Peace

I walked nervously into the fitness center at the resort, unsure about what I was doing. It was 8am on our first full day of a trip to celebrate a milestone birthday for my mom and I decided to take advantage of the yoga class advertised on the resort website. I’d done plenty of yoga at home – enough to know the basic moves – but I wondered as I walked by myself from our room if I was really cut out for a live class.

Warm hospitality met me at the front door of the fitness center. Welcoming smiles made sure I knew how to sign in. Kindness asked if I thought everyone would enjoy yoga on the deck – even though I had never attended the class and wasn’t even sure where the deck was located. Thoughtfulness gave me a tour of the fitness center to make sure I knew where to go and invited me to make myself at home until the class began.

Six of us settled into our spots outside, enjoying the cool early morning summer breeze. It would get hot later, but for now, we were comfortable. As the instructor began to work through the flow she encouraged us to focus on three words:

Compassion.

Understanding.

Peace.

I’d spent the days leading up to the trip in a state of edginess and frustration, attempting to pack our family for a trip that was only 45 minutes from our home but required an incredible number of outfit options, snacks, bedtime accessories, and planning. I was anxious that Madi would feel left out if the other cousins connected more strongly without her, I was nervous that we were going into a big event with twelve people and no agenda, and I was quietly comparing myself, my family, and our budget to the rest of the families we were joining.

As we moved through the yoga poses, I discovered that I knew more – and could do more – than I expected. I began to smile and relax, breathing out comparison and embracing compassion – for myself, and my family. I found peace in the adventure of the unknown, and asked God to give me an understanding heart that could see past the attitudes and actions of a grumpy 5-year-old to help her find joy even when she felt exhausted and overwhelmed.

It took stepping out of my comfort zone to find comfort in an unfamiliar setting. And those three words stayed with me as we gathered for family photos, walked through gardens, played at the pool, spent the day at the waterpark, and made new friends around the campfire with s’mores and glow necklaces. As we head into another busy month, I’ll be taking those words with me – to visit family, host friends, go to the beach, work hard, and rest well.

Compassion – for myself and others.

Understanding – and generous hospitality

Peace – for the unexpected adventures

With summer in high gear, are there three words you need to swap out for a new attitude? How would this small change affect your holy hustle – or your ability to serve instead of strive? 

Thank you to the Hotel Hershey, HersheyPark, Chocolate World, and the Hershey Gardens for helping make our family gathering so wonderful, and Janelle Allen Photography for the amazing family photos. (This isn’t a sponsored post, we just had a really great time and already want to go back!)