Do You Really Practice the Golden Rule
It is the hope that whether we are five or fifty, we know the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you? For such a simple phrase there are sure to be hundreds of iterations. But regardless of origin or a few changed words it is a timeless adage, unspoiled by time or cliche. It is a wonderful way to experience joy in our lives.
Treat others as you would wish to be treated. How many readers practice it daily? Stop for a second and ask yourself if you do; in every occasion. It is certain that most of us don't. But the good thing is that awareness is the first step. It is certain that there are many reading this that feel they do follow the teachings of the golden rule. And for the most part they might. But the operative word used in the question was EVERY. With every thought, and action do you practice the golden rule? Anyone can do it when the sun is shining or when the day is going exactly as we had planned. The bigger challenge is when things are not going swimmingly. You are late for work, driving, and you come to a red light, stopped behind the first car in queue. The light changes and the person in front of you is talking on the phone, unaware that the light has turned green. Do you practice the golden rule then? Do you calmly, give a quick toot of your horn to alert the person that the light has changed? Or do you lay on the horn, all the while thinking or calling the person ahead of you countless names, casting judgment after judgment?
You are walking down the street and you see a person in a wheelchair with a sign asking for help. Do you hurry past them, avoiding eye contact, wondering why they don't get a job? Or do you make eye contact, uttering a polite "sorry" (if you feel uncertain money would help) and go about your way. And once past, envision them in your minds' eye, bathed in white light, visualizing a prayer for them.
The golden rule isn't just about actions. It's about thought and judgement (or hopefully lack of judgments). It is meant to unify us; to make us realize that we are all one people, one energy. It is safe to say that there has never been a sitiuation in our lives that separates us from others. That is to say we may be fortunate not to need to openly ask for money in order to survive. But while that may be the case, each of us has at one time or another expereinced need. The level of need may be different but it is still need. We aren't talking the ego based wants of a shiny car. We are talking about postponing one bill to make sure we have food on the table or a roof over our heads. We are talking about asking a relative for loan
And while we may never have suffered from Cancer we do know what it is like to be bedridden with the flu or convalesce after an accident. Are they the same in magnitude? It doesn't matter. The point is to feel for another. We may not know the pain of Cancer but we do know how we feel when we are stricken with the flu unable to gather strength for our daily tasks.
To that point, our Flu could be a teacher if we practice the Golden Rule. The next time we see someone diferently abled, struggling with a door or a package, we can remember when we were sick and needed the help of others. We could politely ask if they need assistance instead of holding back, distant, until they have proceeded through or been assisted by another.
Think of the times when your life was the most joyous? There were no "others'. You were surrounded by other people going about their days the best they knew how. You didn't have unkind things to say or think about others; there were no others. Life is joyful when we connect to ALL life around us, without judgment or hatred. No one is better or worse than anyone else. We are all God; and all worthy of Love and respect.