Our days are filled with opportunities to react negatively or less than positively, when cars cut us off, restaurant servers disappear after delivering the wrong pricey order, people spout bigotry. some police officers act suitably for a fascist regime, some prosecutors take delight in their power trip rather than in justice, and some judges urinate on the Constitution. Take your pick.

This theme of transcending reactivity returns periodically to my blog as I remind myself what I learn for achieving further on this path while limiting my back steps. On this path, I include lessons from Ben Lo with taijjiquan, the fictitious Kwai Chang Caine with kung fu, Dr. Ihaleakala Hew len with ho’oponopono, and Zoketsu Norman Fischer and others on non-duality/non-attachment.

Competitors, opponents and others want to see designated people fail. That is their trip, not mine. My path is to succeed for my criminal defense clients and for myself. As I move forward, on this path, I ideally remain fully cognizant but unfazed by opponents and potential obstacles along that path while seeing the quantum leaps ahead towards success.

If an opponent or opposing witness wants to taunt me, they possibly reveal weaknesses or fears with their attempted taunts. If they want to insult me, those insults should be like water off a duck’s back. My opponents and opposing witnesses are not my friends. I therefore have no friendships to lose while battling against them.

If my clients feel stuck in the muck of opponents’ actions, I am here to help my clients get unstuck and move forward with me. If my client is stuck today, it may take until another day for my client to start getting unstuck.

When I underline the importance of compassion even with my opponents — and belief that everyone has goodness somewhere in his or her conscious or at least subconscious — that is the opposite of weakening myself, but instead liberates me further from any weakening risks of anger towards my opponents or distraction from them. Each of my opponents is dealing with his or her life and work trials and tribulations, which are their trials and tribulations, not mine.

I am here to fight, to succeed, and to win, not to react tit for tat.