We are in the midst of some major moral dilemmas. With an increasing frequency of dramatic actions by individuals standing up to heinous misconduct from our leadership, we are being forced to decide on what is most important to us. Some of the balancing that we are being forced to confront hits straight to our heart. Who is more important: our immediate loved ones or everyone in the world? How does someone answer such a question when it would depend on the circumstances. If the lives of a majority are in peril, and could potentially impact your own loved ones, wouldn’t you want to think that you’ll act for the good of everyone and not just our loved ones?
This quote by Thich Nhat Hanh answers my feelings exactly on how I choose to live my life. It’s not an easy way to live because it requires a very high degree of understanding who you want to be. That takes time and dedication. Especially if you are looking to live a “moral” life. Not by words we read from a book, but by the very actions that show others our own measurement of morality. By the idea that we should “do unto others as we would have done to us”. You know, the Golden Rule. And it’s even more difficult if you still consider yourself to be a work in progress. But if you care, you keep trying.
When we are forced to make the ultimate choice of our country over everyone, then we are being put into an unfair position. This specific choice has been the foundation of all of the wrongdoing that we’ve done through our history. Life is much more than he who has the most wins. It’s definitely more important than which country is the best. If more people are losing to protect the few, then all of the words in the world won’t exonerate us from our one-dimensional obsessions.
It’s these stark choices that we’re being confronted with that is causing people to become much more vocal. We’re being forced to confront who we choose to be. We’re being asked what is most important to us. Increasingly, more people find the world to be more important than any one country. That’s just giving respect to humanity over nationality. Do you feel that your life so far is an accurate signature that you want to portray? Are you proud of your actions, or do you need to change to fit the signature that you want? I’m still working on bettering my words and actions so that I can worthy of the signature that is my goal. It’s not easy, but then nothing worthwhile ever is.
just saying…
