Avoid fretting over selfish people;
do not be envious of wrongdoers,
for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb;
just as all humans do.
But focus on the bigger picture, and do good;
so that you live in simple thankfulness and don’t cling uselessly to transient things in life.
Take delight in that which is transcendent,
and allow yourself to be filled with gladness.
Commit your life to focussing outward;
engage with others,
and experience your interconnectedness
with all of Creation and with the Divine.
Do nothing from time to time,
and allow yourself simply to be;
do not worry about what others are doing;
do not get wrapped up in the comparison game.
Experience your anger but avoid reacting out of it; let go of your wrath.
Do not worry—it won’t accomplish anything beyond exhausting yourself.
Rash actions, motivated by fear, are dangerous.
It is better to be patient so as to act with calm clarity.
For selfish, impulsive, and greedy actions
will leave you unfulfilled,
their satisfaction, fleeting.
Delay gratification, and plan for the long-term.
Gluttonous people like to mock those seeking to serve others,
denying their own sense of guilt.
But such selfishness eventually
consumes itself.
Habitual self-centredness is harmful to others,
blind to the poor and needy, hostile to those trying to help.
Such self-centredness is subtle self-harm,
leaving one cut off from life-giving relationships and community.
It is better to value what little you have
than to constantly covet that which you do not,
for coveting leaves one always wanting,
but the satisfied will rest content.
Justified are those
who put the needs of others before their own.
Their selflessness
will be their legacy.
Know that all people will perish;
all are transient as annual plants;
they will vanish away
like the smoke of an extinguished candle.
Loving themselves above all else, selfish people only take,
but generous people will keep on giving, regardless.
Giving and receiving are both gifts
to offer to those around us, in balance.
Maintaining contentedness in all circumstances
gives one confidence to move through various circumstances.
Then one is able to persevere through hardship,
moving forward in hope.
Now this I have observed in life:
those of both guilt and innocence have been forsaken,
and both the rich and the poor have been forced to beg.
Yet strive for goodness and to be a blessing to others.
Obviate the path of evil, and always seek to do good,
so that your good actions may persist forever.
For we must contribute to the justice
we so long to see in this world.
Perniciousness breeds death,
but magnanimity brings life.
We must strive to bring life wherever we go,
that life might triumph over death.
Quote wisdom,
and speak of justice.
Cherish them in your heart,
and let them guide your actions.
Ravenous for power,
the selfish prowl amongst others,
seeking to devour those who are weak.
But what goes around eventually comes around.
Survival of the fittest:
rules are coded in our evolutionary past.
But we as humans are fit enough now
to care for the Other.
Take notice of the great evils in this world;
you will probably see them always.
But, you, strive for good,
and be an agent of hope in this world.
Uphold those who bring good to this world;
they are beacons of hope for a better, more peaceful existence.
Don’t give acknowledgement to those who seek evil;
starve them of the limelight that feeds their egos.
Victory for the cosmos is greater wholeness for all;
transcending this present state is the hope that will take us there.
Live like the universe is on your side, willing you to be the best you can be,
because maybe it is.
Welcome to the hazy grey areas of life,
where black or white thinking isn’t enough.
Be prepared to nuance and qualify;
negotiation is your friend.
Xenodochy must mark your actions
in a world overcome with xenophobia.
Care for the stranger, the widow, and the orphan;
transcend yourself.
Yearn for awe and wonder;
raise your consciousness.
Connect with the bee, the leaf, and the cloud.
Strive to see that which your eyes cannot see.
Zealously defend not your freedom or your rights,
but your compassion and integrity.
At the end of your days, may you be blameless,
and may you be filled with joy for the gifts of life that you have selflessly given.
