One morning at the KPY retreat, I heard someone talking.  I was awake already and took a look at my watch.  It was 6am.  My first thought was “wow that person is talking loud and there are other people who are probably still asleep.”  AND YES, I said to myself, that I wouldn’t do that, I’d be more considerate.  We’ll I got up a little while later and after cleaning my teeth, I decided to pack up my tent since I was leaving after lunch.  Once I started to take apart the tent, I started making a lot of noise.  I couldn’t have been any quieter.  I saw four tents near me.  I wasn’t sure if someone was sleep in them.  After I thought that, I saw my double standard.  I apply double standards to those talking on cellphones while driving, driving slow in the fast lane, blocking intersections, falling asleep in class, or stopping in the middle of a sidewalk to talk to a friend or look in a window.  But when I do these things it’s okay.  It is amazing, and shocking, how often I apply this ‘double standard’  The other day, I decided to take Jason on a morning walk since he was on summer break (about 4 miles).  The night before he told me he twisted his ankle.  The first thing I thought was that he wanted to get out of the walk so he could sleep in or watch TV.  I wasn’t going to have any of that.  I was just waiting for him to say he couldn’t go on the walk.  Double standard – I strained my bicep and because of that I don’t go to Jiu Jitsu class.  I don’t want to make it worse.

One of the best results of seeing double standards, and thus becoming more aware of them, is that my level of compassion has increased. I don’t get so mad now or “high and mighty” when some one does something that I would “NEVER” do.  Instead, I now see myself in their place and feel compassion.