Bodhicitta

This teaching reminds me to return, again and again, to the heart of my practice: seeing others not as obstacles or distractions, but as the very path to awakening. Everyone I encounter—whether they offer me comfort, challenge, or confusion—is an opportunity to expand my capacity for compassion.

In Tibetan Buddhism, a wish-fulfilling jewel represents something of unimaginable value, capable of granting all our heart's deepest aspirations. Lama Zopa asks us to view people in this way—not because they give us what we want, but because they give us the chance to transform. To love. To let go. To grow.

For me, this means softening toward strangers, showing up fully for friends, and being patient with those I don’t yet understand. It’s a daily reminder that enlightenment isn’t found far away, but in how I treat the people right in front of me—with care, reverence, and the kind of open heart that honors their sacredness.