Responses Become Kind

"We train in seeing that others are not so different from ourselves.

We train in opening our hearts and minds

in increasingly difficult situations."

Pema Chodron

The Places That Scare You

Mahatma Gandhi stated: "Peace between countries must rest on the solid foundation of love between individuals."  We are called to 'love our neighbors as ourselves' and yet we struggle within our families, communities, states, and countries.  When our responses become kind rather than rooted in prejudice or aggression, we will begin to cultivate peace within and outside of our selves.

As individuals, we are focused upon our own suffering or deliberately ignore the suffering of others, which creates distance between relationships.  Instead of focusing on our differences, we could choose to recognize our similarities.  At the time of establishing a kinship, we will be more reluctant to strike upon any one, as it is truly a strike against our selves.

Life is filled with challenges for each human being.  In life, we learn through our lessons and develop compassion not only for ourselves, but for others as well.  In recognizing our individual worth, we will be less threatened and more eager to help others.  Working together creates a momentum for peace and working against each other stirs aggression.

As a nation, if we choose to ignore our problems and the problems of others, our focus will be on securing our own strengths at the cost of others.  Once we stop assessing the level of wrongness and focus on resolution we will begin to work towards harmony.  

There are those who are doing amazing things for other countries and personal communities without recognition or reward.    When we begin to cultivate peace within our inner core, we can be strong enough to extend it to others on any scale.  Small acts of kindness offered by the masses will begin the shift of correction rather than destruction.