No friend, No foe

Today, during a morning chat with my papa... we talked about the people in his workplace--- in a very dramatic way. He acted out comically, that there are some people we can be close to, but not all. And this, we need to brush on " discrimination skill".

Yoga sutra mentions this as : Viveka or discrimination power.
By noting this, i am not supportive of discriminate against human race--- barriers of skin colours, languages, castes, races, religions, status, family backgrounds, educational level, income...etc.
But going beyond.

Not being friend is not equivalent to making a foe. See the fact that--- some friends make us a better person, some don't. Some friends enable us to see ourselves more, some pull us away from the truth. The fine line that divides--- discrimination power.
 Its probably just not the right time to make any connection with them at the moment. Maybe later.

The best example i can quote to explain Viveka is:

The hardest thing to do is--  not to give something to someone you wish to give.
Sometimes when we see street beggars; its always on a compassionate impulse that we want to give them some cash, so that they can buy some food to fill up their stomach for the day.

But, a second thought enters--- we pull back. Not because we are cold hearted by ignoring or shooing them away. Because we may just encourage them to beg more, that begging can be a way of survival. And their children would probably follow through next time.

This is when we can practice Viveka here. Acting not on symptoms, but the root. That how our choice can make either make them better or worse.

We don't have to go against what others are doing, let them be. Neither friend nor foe... just as it is.

i've got a couple of really close mates whom i grew up with. Instead of " sweet nothings", they uncover me with very "blunt and direct" words. We laugh like witches and cry horribly together. Though we are all doing very different things in life, we support and respect one another on a common values and grounds. thanks mates!