This I Believe

There are two ways to go in life. We can operate from love or, the alternative, operate from fear. I choose love. It’s a simple concept. Simple, but not easy, because it means that I cannot dismiss people who do not think like I do. It means that I must be tolerant of viewpoints not my own. It requires that I search my heart for prejudice and remember that God wants me to recognize the divine in my fellow beings, each made by His hand. It requires that I allow others to do as they think best without criticism, regardless of whether or not I agree. It means I must give people the dignity to fail, even if those people are my children. It requires that I replace my harsh thoughts and words with acceptance and softness. These actions often seems impossible, particularly in this time of national discord and despair. Operating from love means that I must do my best but then be willing to let go of the outcome. It means that I must avoid judgments. It means that I must think and act with compassion even when a person is not particularly lovable, pretty, happy or pleasant. It means that I must move as close as possible to unconditional love. With my many faults, this is putting me to the test. But I also have some excellent advantages, including being able to learn by my mistakes. I have taken in some wisdom over the years, and often find opportunities to be a mentor to others. Although I am highly opinionated, I have been humbled more than once by rushing to judgment based on another’s appearance, manners, or beliefs only later to be shown that there is a wonderful person or even friend where I could not have imagined that one existed. I am blessed with a close family and loving friends. I am a member of a spiritual community. I know that I am loved. I have been given enormous blessings. With these gifts come large responsibilities, including the commandment to operate from love. I pray for the wisdom and strength to do just that to the best of my ability. I’ll end with a quote from Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.” Let me leave a world wherein I practice love, even when it’s hard to do.