Living
In peace.
Helping
One another.
Valuing
Sharing.
Promoting
Love.
All
Achievable.
Remember those heady days
When we knew we could
Change the world,
Where anything was possible,
Where the old constraints
Were no longer binding us
To antiquated notions of
Order and righteousness.
We believed in
Peace and love and
Building a better world
For everyone.
It’s still achievable
If we just remember.
And so we find ourselves
Where we’ve always been,
Ignoring sincere pleas
For peace and love and
Hurtling instead toward
Facile vengeance,
The familiar path to
Collective misery,
Huddled in enclaves
Terrified of others,
Darkness strangling the light.
Don’t give up on the dream,
Remember that we’re
Capable of much better
Than out-of-control
Fear and hatred,
There’s another path and
We’re the ones to walk it.
Inside every living
Human being resides
The secret to
Solving all the world’s
Problems, a beautiful
Light shining brightly,
Promising love, hope,
Unconditional compassion.
We know it exists
Because countless
People each day do
Something kind or
Selfless for someone
Else for no other
Reason than because of
Their common humanity.
They gather in all
Corners of the world,
From small villages
To big cities,
From mountaintops to
Beaches to forests,
From living rooms to
Public spaces,
Young and old,
Light and dark,
Big and small,
Dancing,
Joyfully expressing
Their common
Humanity,
Celebrating
Harmony,
Peace,
Love.
How to be a kind person?
You already know how.
We all do.
Look deep inside and
You’ll find that part of you
That is free from
Fear, anger, sadness—
Your courageous self,
Without conditions or
Complications,
The version of you
That is love and peace.
You know it’s there,
Ready to embark on a
Journey of wonder.
Two people grow up
In the same family,
In a small or large
Or medium town,
Experiencing many
Of the same things:
Schools, friends,
Environment, culture,
Experiences, perspectives,
Stories, ways of life.
One stays put,
Not necessarily physically
But certainly psychologically,
In an endless, desperate
Struggle to dominate,
Hoarding wealth and power,
Building self-worth through
Putting others down,
Making their lives worse
To make himself feel better.
The other sees the
Importance of kindness,
Helping others thrive,
Giving of himself so that they
Might not have to suffer,
Striving to build a more
Gentle world where love
And peace are the norm.
Two people grow up
In the same place.
They dismissively state
That peace and love
Are dead,
Were never a reality,
But I know otherwise
Because I see all the
Wonderful things
People do for each other
And the great reservoir of
Kindness that exists
Inside each of us,
Ready to be shared
With our fellow
Human beings,
Building a caring world
Together.
One small action
That makes a difference
In someone else’s life,
A smile,
Reassuring word,
Listening ear,
Sympathetic heart,
Rippling through the cosmos,
As love does,
Gentle, peaceful gestures
Building upon themselves,
Transforming the landscape.
How to be kind?
The answer is inside you.
