Yesterday was the uposatha and I ended up spending almost the entire day (from 8am to 10:30pm) at work. I, of course, felt in many ways that I had failed in my observance and did, in fact, end up sleeping in the family bed rather than on the floor. Still, I feel that I was able to maintain a certain heedfulness throughout it all which was due solely to the idea of observing the eight precepts. In essence, it was a day filled with as many minor failures as it was with minor victories.
One thing to which my attention constantly turned was my habitual, negative tendencies as they manifest themselves in my speech and thought. There were many occasions when I caught myself on the verge of complaining, finding fault with or commiserating with my partner but was able to put the proverbial sock in it before it was able to go too far. Minor victories to be sure but victories nonetheless and in the war to purify our conduct every battle counts.
May we be relentless in the pursuit of purity
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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