ilovemylife: WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

Everybody can be great... because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love. Martin Luther King, Jr.

NO ONE ELSE BUT ME - is that the core of how we live our daily lives, that our own existence is all that matters? What do those in your life require of you? What keeps you from yourself? What gets in the way of feeling your feelings? What do you want to feel? Does it matter? Does it matter how you treat others? These are just words. Just questions...

Why care? I want to believe that I am one who cares not only for myself but for the quality of life of others.

I know people in my own experience who pretend to be compassionate, good and caring people but they only care about themselves and no one else. The desired image of who they are, though, is at odds with how they behave. They are willing to sacrifice their own children to save their own egos. It is hard to believe. But there it is. Too real and blatant to dismiss.

The truth is caring about not only our own needs but others is the grace that I believe is our best opportunity to free us from the chains of self emotional strangulation. Giving kindness to others does not take anything worthy from us.

Kindness helps promote kindness in others. I am sure that is true. When someone is unkind to me I feel hurt. It affects me. When someone is kind or in a good mood, I am also affected. I feel better. I have heard it claimed that studies have shown our bodies release endorphins when we show an act of kindness and with that same act of kindness, endorphins are released as well in not only the recipient, but those who observe the kindness, too. Even if this weren't true, what would it matter?

When I am in the presence of mean-spirited behavior, it doesn't feel good. When I am anything but hopeful, kind or tactfully truthful, I feel off-balance. If I act ugly, I feel ugly. And personally, I don't want to feel that way. It is not a pleasing feeling.

We can choose to be kind. Or not. The goal to feel powerful seduces many into thinking that belittling others will make themselves feel more powerful.

Here's the Leap
Caring about something outside our own personal lives would promote a healthier, more balanced life. A step toward justice, freedom as a right for each human and truth as the foundation to ...well, everything.

I can't solve the world's problems or love everyone personally. But I can do something.

I have chosen the End of Genocide as my main issue to consistently address. Not the only concern, but I remain focused on it more than any other.

Here is my most recent Letter to the Editor of my local newspaper, The Newport Daily News.
Enlarge it by clicking on it.