Right now here in the US, we are more divided than ever. Whether you’re focused on politics, the violence going on, or trying to make a change but struggling to be heard there is no denying that the issues here in the US really hold us back.
Instead of coming together to make changes we fight one another and refuse to see eye to eye. This creating a world of hopelessness instead of a place where we can through empathy and compassion change things for the better. I recently came across an article on Big Think that went over a post made in the NY Times by the Dalia Lama himself. This article saying that there was a way to rebuild America and that through the Dalai Lama’s words we could begin. I believe this is true even now.
While the post made by the Dalai Lama was made back in 2016 it went over some very important things and highlighted election time which we are facing right now. Of course, not everyone will be open to his words but those who are can and will benefit from them big time. We all could use some growth and we are all able to help in more ways than we might stop to understand.
Part of that post made by the Dalai Lama goes as follows:
What can we do to help? The first answer is not systematic. It is personal. Everyone has something valuable to share. We should start each day by consciously asking ourselves, “What can I do today to appreciate the gifts that others offer me?” We need to make sure that global brotherhood and oneness with others are not just abstract ideas that we profess, but personal commitments that we mindfully put into practice.
Each of us has the responsibility to make this a habit. But those in positions of responsibility have a special opportunity to expand inclusion and build societies that truly need everyone.
Leaders need to recognize that a compassionate society must create a wealth of opportunities for meaningful work, so that everyone who is capable of contributing can do so. A compassionate society must provide children with education and training that enriches their lives, both with greater ethical understanding and with practical skills that can lead to economic security and inner peace. A compassionate society must protect the vulnerable while ensuring that these policies do not trap people in misery and dependence.
Building such a society is no easy task. No ideology or political party holds all the answers. Misguided thinking from all sides contributes to social exclusion, so overcoming it will take innovative solutions from all sides. Indeed, what unites the two of us in friendship and collaboration is not shared politics or the same religion. It is something simpler: a shared belief in compassion, in human dignity, in the intrinsic usefulness of every person to contribute positively for a better and more meaningful world. The problems we face cut across conventional categories; so must our dialogue, and our friendships.
Many are confused and frightened to see anger and frustration sweeping like wildfire across societies that enjoy historic safety and prosperity. But their refusal to be content with physical and material security actually reveals something beautiful: a universal human hunger to be needed. Let us work together to build a society that feeds this hunger.
There is nothing wrong with working towards a more compassionate society. Rather than forcing others to struggle and refusing to help, we should be doing our part to make sure everyone is taken care of. At the end of the day there is so much going on that if we do not come together, nothing will ever get resolved.
How do you feel about this? Do you think that the Dalai Lama’s words hold such value? I for one think we could all learn from them.