How Do We Bring Light into a World of Conflict?
Act as if what you do makes a difference.
It does.
~ William James
As we participate in the emotional ups and downs of political reality in our country and observe the chaotic and sometimes horrific challenges that other people are facing around the world, we find ourselves in turbulent waters, swirling with hate, fear, anger, sadness, despair, hope, compassion, and inspired determination.
In the past week, Larry and I found ourselves overwhelmed with sadness, and yes, some anger, as we witnessed what seemed to be the country we love falling apart in slow motion. It was hard. We allowed ourselves to be with those feelings, to express them to each other, and then to take time to work through the process of returning to the balance we needed to move forward.
We wondered how we could find a way to inject love and kindness into the mix, when the mix has become so toxic. As we talked about how, if at all, we could help to heal our country, we realized that now, more than ever, messages of kindness are needed.
We remember the song, “What the World Needs Now Is Love, Sweet Love.” That is like a clarion call to all of us.
We have made the choice to live with kindness, and that was not conditional, based on what other people were doing. It was a commitment to ourselves not to allow what is going on in the world to distract us from spreading love in whatever way we can.
Every act of kindness is love in action. It has a positive impact on the people receiving the kindness and those observing it. It often has a ripple effect, as others are inspired to pass it on. By continuing daily acts of kindness, we do make a difference in our world.
Often, kindness calls on us to take a stand for what we believe is right. For many people, the way forward is taking action in the political arena. That can be done in a way that contributes to healing, if it is done, not with hatred of those who disagree with us, but with a focus on creating the more positive outcome that we want.
As we participate in any action, we need to be mindful of the energy with which we engage in the struggle. We can let anger motivate us to take action, but we need to act in a way that brings reason and compassion into the mix.
We need to find a way to live together peacefully if we are to survive as a country and as a world.
We do not have all the answers to a kinder world. We don’t even have most of them. Our intention is always to offer ideas, without judging whether anyone accepts the invitation to experiment in their own lives with the ideas we share.
Now, even more than before, we want your input. We all have wisdom from our life experiences, and we all benefit when others share what has helped them to get through difficult times.
We invite you to share:
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How are you maintaining your balance at this time?
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What role does kindness play in your life today?
