Sometimes we—thinking we are human—make things so complicated.
And really, it’s not. I believe if we could all put into place a few basic principles, then solutions would be found that would unravel all the issues we face.
Of course, we’d have to do it together. We’d have to agree. And often, that seems impossible. But that’s what the “dark side” wants us to think.
And it’s not true. It’s not impossible. Because I think we all would agree that these three ideas are true.
Yes, I believe we are. So let’s get started.
1. You get out of life what you put into it.
By this I mean both the big stuff and the little stuff. If you take a class, you get out of it what you put into it. In life, it works the same way.
We get into trouble when we think we are owed something. That we get to ride for free.
And that leads me to the next principle.
2. We are all here to be of service.
This is an obvious follow up to getting out of life what we put into it. If we are not of service, we aren’t participating.
If we aren’t participating, we can’t expect to get much out of life.
Well, I know people do, but no. That’s not how it works.
How we participate is based on who we are and what we can offer. Mowing your neighbor’s lawn is equal to designing a spaceship if done in service.
All that is important is that we are being of service, using the skills we have been given. Not sitting on the couch wondering why life is passing us by, or why others have more than we do.
That’s subjective anyway, isn’t it?
If we are of service, we’ll be happy. It’s contagious.
The next principle is also obvious as it flows into and with the first two.
If fact, there is no order here. They are all one big happy spiral.
And we all know this one. In fact, if we followed it, there would be no need for any other commandments.
3. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Or treat others how you wish to be treated.
Now don’t start with me that some people want to be abused. No, they don’t.
Everyone wants to be heard, listened to, understood, and cared about. If they don’t get it one way, they’ll try for another.
But if we begin with the fact that we all exist as a community with all the same hopes and desires, although often expressed in a diverse number of ways, then it becomes obvious life is actually quite simple.
And if you need one thing to start with, it’s be of service. Smile at someone today. Do something. Participate. Give what you want to be given to you.
We can un-train ourselves from the world that says it’s a survival of the fittest.
Everywhere we look in nature, we see it requires diversity. And that even the lowest organism on earth is being of service.
I would think, as we claim to be the most intelligent beings on earth, that we could figure out a way to do these three things every day, looking for the light instead of the darkness.
Here’s a short version:
- Participate
- Be of Service
- Be Kind
This is how we are meant to live. It’s a practice. But if we begin with the idea that we are designed to do those three things, then it’s not turning into something we aren’t, but living what we are.
BECA LEWIS coaches, teaches, writes blogs and books, plays with art, and is addicted to reading. She lives in Ohio with her husband and has kids and grandkids scattered across the country.
