Force for Good
\r\nIn the West, our achievements have been scientific and technological, and we have had few spiritual geniuses. Our scientific focus on the external world has been of immense benefit to humanity, but we are less adept in the exploration of the interior life. We have been unable spiritually to go beyond the paradigmatic insights of the great sages of the past. But we have also seen that many of these pivotal teachers and prophets were living in societies that had problems similar to our own: they were dealing with violence that seemed to be getting out of hand and an economy that marginalized the poor. All were disturbed by the spectacle of ubiquitous suffering. It is now time to apply what we have learned from them to our own circumstances and to the society in which we live.
\r\nMany of the things we have long taken for granted - our financial institutions and our political policies, both at home and abroad - seem suddenly inadequate. We are unable to deal with the massive problems of hunger and poverty; we know that our environmental policies are unsustainable, and yet we cannot seem to find a viable way of dealing with them. We look around us and realize that something needs to be done, yet find no immediate solutions. There should be no anger, frustration, or impatience in our survey. We must look at our community with compassion, estimate its strength as well as its weaknesses, and assess its potential for change.
\r\nAsk yourself what your particular contributions should be and where you should concentrate your efforts - in business, medicine, the media, education, the arts, politics, or in the home. Do not be overwhelmed by the immensity of the task ahead, because it is possible to change attitudes. Every man and woman in the street can become a force for good in the world.
\r\nCompiled From:
\r\n \"Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life\" - Karen Armstrong, pp. 65 - 74