February
1
|
Today's
quotation:
We
are all citizens of one world, we are all of one blood. To hate people because they were born in another country,
because they speak a different language, or because
they
take a different view on this subject or that, is a
great folly. Desist, I implore you, for we are all
equally human. . . . Let us have but one end in view: the
welfare of humanity.
Johann
Amos Comenius
|
Today's
Meditation:
I
sometimes wonder what this world would be like if we could
divert all the energy that people spend hating each other,
to loving each other instead. What if we didn't spend our
time arguing about how wrong or how different other people
are, and instead spent that time working on problems that
face all people. What if we no longer spent our time
and energy looking at differences and instead spent that
time and energy looking at how we can help each other to be
the best people we can be, no matter what our race or ethnic
or geographical background?
We
all come from the same source. Period. All of
us. I can't define that source or draw a picture of
it, but I know that we all have the same origins, and we all
share a common bond of humanity here on this planet.
Our goal should be to do all that we can to make sure that
there's enough fairness and love and compassion to go
around--not trying to improve our own lots by bringing other
people down. My blood can be used in the body of any
other human being of the same blood type--that should be
enough to convince me that any differences that I see are
simply superficial, not deep differences that justify
separation.
We
live in communities, and the only way to truly strengthen
community is through acceptance of the people in it.
The things that don't matter--skin color, national origin,
language, etc.--really shouldn't enter into the equation as
to whether or not certain people should be seen as part of
the community or not.
When
we show bias and prejudice, we really are hurting ourselves,
not the people we don't like. We're weakening our own
communities, and we're denying ourselves the influence and
input of people who might have learned many different
lessons than those that we've learned, in many different
ways. Once we accept others, we can learn from them
and benefit from their presence, and our communities can
grow stronger, helping all of us.
|
Questions to
consider:
Why is it so easy to think that someone from somewhere
else has things wrong compared to us?
How do our communities suffer when we practice
exclusion instead of inclusion?
What might we be afraid of if we're not willing to
accept others just as they are? |
For further
thought:
One exemplary act may affect one
life, or even millions of lives. All those who set standards for
themselves,
who strengthen
the bonds of community,
who do their work
creditably and
accept individual responsibility,
are building the
common future.
John W. Gardner
|
more
thoughts and ideas on oneness
|
|
|
|
|
quotations
- contents
-
welcome
page
-
obstacles
our
current e-zine
-
the
people behind the words
-
articles
and excerpts
Daily
Meditations, Year One - Year
Two - Year Three - Year Four
Sign up
for your free daily spiritual or general quotation ~ ~ Sign
up for your free daily meditation
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
|
tm |
|
All contents © Living Life
Fully, all rights reserved. |
|
|
|
|
|
We
have some
inspiring and motivational books that may interest you. Our main way of supporting this site is
through the sale of books, either physical copies
or digital copies for your Amazon Kindle (including the
online reader). All of the money that we earn
through them comes back to the site
in one way or another. Just click on the picture
to the left to visit our page of books, both fiction and
non-fiction! |
|
|
|