When times are hard, the true nature of humanity reveals itself. Just within the past few years, the human family has experienced a lifetime worth of challenges: a global pandemic, catastrophic weather events, political and social and financial upheaval, and the challenge of navigating daily life amid a world of profound uncertainty.
It’s not easy to see touchstones of our lives go up in flames. It’s not easy to comfort others when we truly need comforting ourselves. But the truth is that love and kindness can come to us from unexpected sources, just when we need it the most. And love and kindness creates more love and kindness in an endless chain reaction.
Each of us has our very own place in the big world, as well as our very own place in our own little world. We are citizens within the whole of society, and even more importantly, we are members of our own circle of family, friends, neighbors, and loved ones. In many ways, we have a greater capacity to make an immediate positive impact on our own little world than we have on society as a whole. But positive impact, happening in millions of different ways, changes the world, the universe, and beyond.
In the past few weeks, within my own circle of family, friends, neighbors, and loved ones, I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing and hearing about some beautiful and inspirational acts of kindness. These stories illustrate the power of loving one another, especially in times of difficulty.
A stranger materializing out of nowhere to help you with car trouble. A neighbor who keeps an eye on your home while you are out of town. A friend who frequently checks in with you while you are undergoing medical treatment or accompanies you through the treatment. A help desk worker who patiently and clearly walks you through the steps to solve a computer problem. A relative who makes sure you are included in family news and events. A co-worker who speaks out on your behalf. There are endless examples of love and kindness lighting up our lives!
It’s easy to be loving and generous when most aspects of our lives seem to be flowing happily and easily. But it is much more challenging, and much more important, to be loving and generous in times of struggle. Especially in times of stress, the best way to get through the difficulty is to love one another, be kind to one another, and know in our hearts that love will help us co-create a new and better tomorrow.
Know yourself as a point of light within a greater light. A point of light among legions of light. Together we are the light of the world.