This morning as my wife, children and thoughts raged around me and threatened to tempt me into acting or speaking in anger I found myself formulating this question: “how can I trransform the dross of anger, spite and resentment into the pure ore of compassion, of metta?” I must admit that no insight or answer was forthcoming but I was able to restrain my speech and hand from harm. And, maybe it is in the furnace of patient endurance that the heart softens and its impurities melt away. Or maybe not. Regardless of the truth of the matter it seems to me that patient forebearance is absolutely essential if I am to make any progress on the path as well it should be if we hearken to the words of the Lord Buddha who called it the highest virtue and austerity.
May we all grow in the Dhamma and melt our hearts in the flames of patient endurance.
Cattāri Brahmavihārā 
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