Interesting things happened today. Most notably, a woman that I work with wrote a patient education piece - a good thing, of course - but any of the literature going out the door needs my approval, and in reading her work, I was suprized to find mention of God several times. This was an educational piece about a clinical subject, not a spiritual one, so I talked with her about taking the religious references out.

She became quite defensive and upset - saying that the patients could interpret "God" in anyway they chose! I was taken aback, but calmly explained that it isn't fair to our patients to force them to make any interpretations at all. And that there are many people who are ill who are angry with God, or have been hurt in the past by religion, and they would stop reading at the first God reference and not learn what we would like them to learn.

She stormed out of my office, but I didn't get a chance to talk with her again today. I'll try to speak with her next week, but it is a challenge to know what to say.

I had to chuckle, though, when I speculated what her reaction would have been if I had written a piece what made reference to "our Buddha nature"! She probably would have popped a vein! It's so curious to me when folks become defensive about their faith, or assume that everyone will agree with their views - and anyone who doesn't agree needs to adapt to them.

When I opened the mailbox, though, I had a nice confirmation - an envelope with address lables, printed with the phrase "Teach Tolerance". What a timely message, and such a wonderful idea to spread the concept. It helped me look harder at myself and my tolerance of her closed mindedness - afterall, I had felt the pangs of anger when she was defensive and angry towards me. If I can't see her with the eyes of compassion and tolerance, what hope do I have that she will ever feel those things toward me.

Hopefully, I can be that light of compassion when I talk with her next week.