One Way We Can Tell…

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Love is always the answer.

One way we can tell if something is done in love or not, is to ask ourselves if it is inclusive or exclusive.

This seems an easier question when practiced individually. For instance, I can easily judge my own actions and motives and determine if they are inclusive or not, and match up with my personal values.

But it becomes harder to live this in our global systems, whether that be governments, corporations, religious groups, educational systems or any other groups. These systems often benefit the few and leave everyone else out in the cold. They contradict what we hold dear individually, and most shockingly, we seem ok with it and deem our values irrelevant because that is what needs to be done if we want to ensure the economy thrives, and our belief system stays intact, and (insert any other terrifying disaster) does not come to pass. At least that is what we have come to accept. We think that we must either play along, or fall into chaos. It’s either this or that.

How do we reconcile that? How do we cherish the truth which love; love for humanity, love for all living creatures, love for our planet reveals, and continue to buy into a system that serves the few and excludes the many? Is it really only this or that, or is there another way?

One way we can tell if something is done in love or not, is to ask ourselves if it is inclusive or exclusive.

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~

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Constipated

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Insofar as an appropriate degree of self-love is received, held, enjoyed, trusted, and participated in, this is the same degree to which love can be given away to the rest of the world. You can and you must “love your neighbor as you love yourself” (Matthew 19:19)—for your own wholeness and for theirs. Without this full flow in and out, we frankly have many “constipated” believers. – Richard Rohr

In yesteryear if you weren’t putting others ahead of yourself, it was frowned upon. You were selfish, self-centered, entitled, narcissistic. After all, you must ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

I didn’t really catch the ‘as yourself’ bit until I was in my 40s. What a relief! I could also love myself, set healthy boundaries, take steps toward self-care. Live in peace and harmony with you.

But when I see what’s happening in the world today, how horribly we humans treat other humans who don’t think like us, believe like us, live like us, I wonder has the pendulum swung too far. Has it become all about me and how my corner of the world is affected by you? Do we now fear instead of love our neighbor?

~ DIANA’S ENORMOUS BOOK OF QUOTES ~