Being only Human ( e ) … ( 08 / 26 / 2014 )
Being only Human ( e ) … ( 08 / 26 / 2014 )
As much as I unconditionally LOVE dogs , " but I ' m just a dog " is not an excuse ... It wasn ' t an excuse when my dog Billy would get pissed at me and strew garbage all over the house because I went to my Evidence class and didn ' t take him with me , and it wasn ' t an excuse when he destroyed some of my favorite books for choosing to snuggle with a girlfriend instead of him . ( You were an incredible Friend , Billy ... I still Love you , buddy .)
Similarly , as much as I unconditionally LOVE other humans , " But I ' m only human " isn ' t an acceptable excuse either … Like dogs , we homosapiens are almost always fully aware of what is Right & what is " wrong " -- We are aware which of our choices are done primarily for our own benefit , and which are done to benefit others … We are aware which actions are likely to bring others pain , and which are likely to bring Peace . And while it is indeed often a difficult choice to make , it is always possible to pause in any given moment and choose an option that is both selfless and Peace-full .
Yes , we will of course continue to make mistakes in this regard , and yet " I ' m only human " is not a reasonable excuse when we do … For whenever we behave selfishly , as humans , we don ' t need to pass the blame or make excuses for our poor behaviors ... Instead , we are allowed to accept responsibility for our slips into narcissism , and then atone with acts of radical generosity , and whenever we harm others , as humans , we don ' t need to rationalize or justify or defend either our actions or ourselves ... Instead , we are allowed to accept responsibility for our ( hopefully unintentional ) acts of callousness or cruelty , apologize wholeheartedly to those we have harmed , and then atone for those misdeeds with acts of radical Kindness .
In closing , my Friends , consider remembering the simple Truth that none of you are " only human " ... Feel free to remember ( and then to re-member ) that you are HUMAN instead !
" Until we extend our circle of compassion to include all living things , humankind will not know peace ."
~ inspired by Albert Schweitzer
71