Balancing compassion and self-preservation

This morning I practiced balancing compassion with self-preservation. It wasn't easy, but I'm glad I did it.

Since my arrival, this time share guy has been asking me to go to his timeshare presentation. The deal was that I would get $100 for my time and he gets a $50 comission. I didn't want to go because of my experience with the first one. It's a tonne of high pressure and all in all a bad way to spend time here. But on the whole, he's been pleasant to talk to, the $100 would be nice and I wanted to help him. He needs to make a living too. So yesterday I gave in and agreed to go this morning.

However, all night I dreaded the event. The pressure is gross and I'm obviously a potential target (a softy). So this morning, I talked to Alfredo. I wasn't going to cause I didn't want to be scolded. But I needed to talk it out and get an opinion. I'm glad I did.

I went to meet the guy where we had agreed. (I never tell any of the "guys on the beach" I meet where I live, I'm not that silly!) I fought his sob story with mine. I told him I couldn't go. I had been sick all night thinking about the high pressure of the timeshare presentation. And please don't ask me again to go. It worked. He coudn't argue with that and was gracious enough about it.

I'm proud because I know I have compassion, I really did want to help him if I could. But I'm also proud because I know that I can value my needs as much as someone elses. At least sometimes.

A picture of me, being happy, on teh beach in San Pancho.