JUST LIKE ME

Recently I was listening to a cd on "mindfulness practice" from the "Teaching Company" and the lecturer said that when he is frustrated or upset with anyone he tells himself "just like me."  He then is more able to stop being stressed by the person or situation. I started to try this and it was initially confusing as I would be irritated by someone and then say to myself "just like me" and then I would think that it was not just like me because I didn't do what the person was doing.  I kept trying to say "just like me" even though I didn't seem to fit me.  Then one day as I was beginning to get irritated I then as I was about to say "just like me" it occurred to me that just like me might really be a reminder that the person is a human being "just like me."  It may not matter what they are doing but that I need to respect and recognize that they are just like me...another human being. 

Maybe the importance of recognizing the humanity of someone who I am allowing to irritate or frustrate me is that we too easily treat others as less than human or not as worthy as we feel we are.  This makes it easier to rationalize negative thoughts and then negative behavior towards others.  This then is disrepectful to others and to ourselves. 

So, "just like me" might help us to have reverence for other human beings and spread loving kindness around the universe.