Wholeness as human beings is impossible without the deep appreciation of our connections with and significance to each other…
Indulge me now as I share my personal collection of affirmations in this regard…
1
Your life is deeply enriched by enriching the lives of others.
2
The best way to be somebody is to matter to somebody else.
3
Be neither selfish nor selfless. Be self-interested and interested in others.
4
Self-interest and concern for others are both essential to a life well-lived.
5
You are on the right path when your freedom and autonomy are balanced with an equal measure of responsibility and fellowship.
6
Those of us who fare better in the lottery of life have a natural responsibility towards those not so fortunate.
7
There is no greater joy than to share your time, treasure, and talents in service to others.
8
We are most together as a community when we are most free as individuals.
9
True communion with others doesn’t diminish you in the least–because it doesn’t require you to be something you’re not.
11
Doing what’s truly in your own interest is probably also what’s best for the whole world. And so, you love others best by loving yourself more, not less.
12
Individual excellence and collective effort both matter.
13
We need more autonomy and more community.
14
Community is not a melting pot of uniformity, but a flavorful stew of diversity.
15
Individual, responsible liberty is the only ethical and sustainable foundation for peace and justice.
16
We are ALL in the same boat–and would all benefit if we allowed our hopes, fears, virtues, and foibles to unite us in mutual affection and shared purpose.
17
Service to others: the cure for loneliness, boredom, unhappiness, self-doubt, regret, anxiety, disillusionment, resignation, and fear—but that is not why you do it.
I think my fav is no. 17. It is probably also the one that takes longest to learn 🙂
Thanks for checking in, Christopher. All the best from Frank who’s still working on walking his talk.
Lol – aren’t we all?😀
I’m assuming these are aspirational, Frank, so although the fact that we are all in the same boat is not true materially, it could and should be how we think about ourselves in relation to one another. Did I get that right?
I am reminded of the Surgeon General’s message on loneliness, which is a worldwide problem and leads to many physical and emotional problems and disorders. He speaks about the importance of community, which offers essential supports but is not as structurally sound as it once was. The consequences negative for both the individual and the community.
This is a large topic, and your delineation resonates with me. As I read through it, I thought “Oh, this is especially important,” but more and more of them struck me as “especially important.”
Indeed, Annie. These are aspirational affirmations, not claims. Alas, I/we still have lots of growing up to do.
Your reading of what I meant by “all in the same boat” is dead on.
Your mention of loneliness as a symptom of our times is a HUGE insight that suggests a crucial solution: We need to get to know each other. No small task in this dog-eat-dog world.
Thanks, as always for the resonance and for being a stalwart voice of reason and decency.
Well said, Frank. Now if only we could figure out how to get people to actually heed your words of wisdom. Sigh.
Thanks, Jill. Yep. I/we still have lots of work to do. That includes me walking my own talk. Cheers!
Same here, my friend. Hugs ‘n cheers!
This is truly wonderful. 👏👏👏👌✨
Heartened by the resonance, Ana. Thanks & Peace.
I couldn’t agree more with your premise. Your affirmations align with my own life experiences. I would like to comment on two of your affirmations:
(11) – There are a few among us in this world who prioritize their own self interest, regardless of the detrimental consequences to the well-being of the masses of humanity and our shared planetary home.
(16) – We are not ALL in the same boat. The few among us with the power to control our lives own private luxury yachts with helipads.
On the question of #11, what comes to mind is whether all or most of us can agree on what is good for ourselves alone. Many deny climate change as an existential threat. Others eat too much, drug themselves, and are addicted to drink or tobacco. Frank’s point in #11, as with the other items, are spot on, but my concern is whether we can take care of ourselves well enough to make choices that will be of wider benefit.
An important point, Dr. Stein.
Indeed, Gerald. Self-interest and community-interest are often at odds with each other in a world where billions of humans are just trying to survive another day. Thanks & Peace.
Thanks, Frank. You are on target in a few words, as usual.
Thanks, Gerald, for appreciating my commitment to honesty and brevity, in that order.
Thanks for adding your thoughts, Rosaliene. No lies detected. : (
I agree with all of them, they feel intuitively right. I feel strongly about 8, 9 and 14.
I am heartened by your resonance, Ramble. If only more people appreciated 8, 9, and 14 as you. Thanks & Peace.