We are driven by self-interest, it’s necessary
to survive. But we need wise self-interest that is generous and co-operative,
taking others’ interests into account. Co-operation comes from friendship,
friendship comes from trust, and trust comes from kind-heartedness. Once you
have a genuine sense of concern for others, there’s no room for cheating,
bullying or exploitation.
Like anyone else, I too have the potential for
violence; I too have anger in me. However, I try to recall that anger is a
destructive emotion. I remind myself that scientists now say that anger is bad
for our health; it eats into our immune system. So, anger destroys our peace of
mind and our physical health. We shouldn’t welcome it or think of it as natural
or as a friend.
Given
the scale of life in the heaven, one human life is no more than a tiny blip.
Each one of us is a just visitor to this planet, a guest, who will only stay
for a limited time. What greater folly could there be than to spend this short
time alone, unhappy or in conflict with our friend? Far better, surely, to
use our short time here in living a meaningful life, enriched by our sense of
connection with others and being of service to them.
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