I am ashamed to admit how often I have been rendered blind and deaf to reality by my preconceptions, cynicisms, prides, and resentments…
… and I am sorry for all the damage I have done in the process.
And so, I declare that I need to do better… that I can do better… that I want to do better… by being more than some selfish, mindless bundle of knee-jerk reactions.
To that end, six simple practices come to mind…
- Listen before speaking (if I need to speak at all).
- Trust others, even at the risk of being disappointed.
- Admit my profound ignorance on most matters.
- Disengage from all gossip and hearsay.
- Remain silent about events that I have not witnessed with my own eyes and ears.
- Seek the truth from those who know… and listen well to what they have to say.
That doesn’t sound so hard, does it?
And so, if I can refrain from jumping to conclusions before the facts are in… and if I can interrupt my impulse to fight or flee for just a single heartbeat… I will do more than avoid so much pointless anxiety, strife, and embarrassment. I will start to break down the barriers that separate us so needlessly. And I will discover a new-found serenity that becomes a real source of peace… for all of us… revealing so many wonders previously unseen and unheard.
