I realised something tonight. I dare say I may even have learned something. True change starts in awareness. I had an intense talk tonight with a dear friend about some social issues Im very passionate about. Unfortunately, as sometimes happens, this intriguing debate gave way to a heated argument. As I reflected on why things went awry I continued to ask myself what my motives were. Did I need to change his mind? No. Did I need him to understand my point of view? Maybe. Did I need to create positive social change by challenging assumptions? Sure why not. Did I do any of these things? No. Why? Because I forgot the most basic element, awareness. I forgot to be aware of the attachment I held to my point of view. The frustration I held towards my friends thoughts. Most of all, I forgot to be aware of how these factors were guiding my words and actions. At the height of the conversation I accused my friend of lacking compassion. At a that very moment I showed the least amount of compassion towards him I could have. I lashed out from my ego and my impatience. So what does this matter? Well, I want social change, I want people to plug in and get involved, I want to get more involved, and I want governments and leaders to listen and follow. What I learned tonight is that no compassionate, positive outcome will ever come without me first learning to be aware of myself. I cant convince others to consider compassion and awareness in their lives when I fail so blatantly at it myself. I cant convince people to consider understanding those who they oppose when I cant truly understand and listen to whom Im talking with. So ultimately awareness and compassion arent just things you tote around. Theyre burdens of great weight and importance. They are the most grueling tests of what it means to be human, and ultimately the deciding factors in how we live all of our lives together as a whole. So, all I can say is Im sorry. Im sorry but I promise Ill try harder next time. And maybe with a little luck and a lot of hard work I can gain that fraction of a degree of awareness that will allow me to make a positive impact in my friends life, and the lives of those countless strangers we all interact with in life. Good luck to you fellow travelers. May you carry this burden with grace and gratitude. And of you miss an opportunity, dont fret, theres always another one around the bend. Who knows maybe we can change the world...
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 03:58:54 +0000
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