Be

To be or not to be? Good question. Here's another: What if we all chose to be what we choose to see in the world? What would we see? Imagine if everyone chose to come from a place of love, where helping one another and kindness were their own currency. A place where we all understood that we are all in this together, and that there is far more we can accomplish by joining forces rather than existing only for ourselves. This world may sound like a fanciful utopia, but it doesn't have to be. We all have the power, within ourselves, to make the world a brighter, more hopeful place.

The secret to happiness is not much of a secret at all. Many great thinkers and leaders understood this. We remember the words of people like Buddha, Jesus, Mother Teresa, Socrates, Plato, Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, and so many others, because they lived lives of love for all of humanity. They understood universal truths and lived their lives inspiring others through their words and their deeds. This is why we know their names. This is why we remember and revere them, long after they have departed from this earth.

When this life ends, as it will for all of us one day, what will we be remembered for? What memories do we want those who love us to hold and cherish? How many lives will we have touched while we were here? Will we have touched those lives in love or in something else? What am I going to put out into the world? These are questions I ask myself often. I think they are good ones to ponder.

There is no question that we cannot receive without giving. I also understand that helping others nourishes the soul. I will continue to look at the world through my love-colored lenses. It is a very beautiful world, and I love every moment--even the difficult ones. Strive to be these seven words every single day. Some days we may feel like we do not have the energy to be even one of them, but try anyway. When we give a little bit of ourselves to others each and every day, expecting nothing in return, what we find is that there is in fact a return--a very large and beautiful return in your heart. It works. It really does.