Letting go to all that doesn't concern you; Embrace your enemy

Some of the key elements I have struggled with over the past few years has been

1. Letting go
2. And choosing my words wisely

Buddha says "Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill" - I have often been caught short in the past by speaking ill of people, when it isn't there fault that there behaviour is the way it is, they haven't been given the tools to learn, and grow and proceed in a fitting manner with life. Rather than curse and berate them I should be helping them.

Now helping them.. how can you help your enemy? This one puzzled me, if you go through many  Buddha quotations you will find lots of script on ones enemy. From what I can determine Buddha believe the enemy is important for practice

" The enemy is the necessary condition for practicing patience."

He has delivered these words in a manner that doesn't suggest that you should use your enemy simply for your own end but eventually go onto help them, now you may not want to go on and socialize with your enemy, and not for a single moment does Buddha suggest this, what Buddha simply says is by not reacting, by carrying on with your own existence and things that are of importance and are due attention for smiles sake in your own life you are helping your enemy, you are not placing more pressure onto there already unguarded mind.

Slowly but surely in my own life, I attempt to reduce my harsh words, one day at a time, I try to practice compassion and understanding, one day at a time. I am taking the line with it that Rome wasn't built in a day and nor will my ability to practice Buddhism to the due care and attention it deserves. I live in a Western society, with Western materialism all around me so things often creep into my behaviour but slowly I will get where I need to be.