Epilogue: Compassion for Others Begins with Ourselves



We are responsible for how we choose to deal with our struggles and our challenges regardless of what they may be. It is a human condition that we are affected by our genetics. Our genes are responsible for giving us blue eyes, brown hair and a short stature and they can also predispose us to certain kinds of disease. A predisposition means that we are susceptible to acquiring a disease given the right circumstances. These circumstances are a result of the environment we live in or are exposed to on a daily basis. To a certain degree we have control over our environment and are responsible for our wellbeing in many ways. However there are situations in which we have very little control and often aren't even aware of the dangers that we are exposing ourselves to. We must educate ourselves and become familiar with healthy ways of life. But we mustn't punish ourselves and feel guilty for circumstances in our lives that are ultimately out of our control and unavoidable. We do the best we can with what we know. We are all ultimately here to learn, love and accept ourselves and others. There is enough grief already. There is no sense in feeling guilty over things we can't control. It's unhealthy and there are no benefits to you or to the world. Guilt breeds resentment. All we can do is be open to love, and live authentically in the moment, with the knowledge that we have at that time. We are not being punished and our lessons don't always have to be learned the hard way. Forgive yourself for your past mistakes, learn from them, heal and move on. Believe me you will make more mistakes in the future; it's part of the human condition.

If your analogy to life is climbing a mountain, strive for the summit, but remember that through the struggle there are many beautiful places to see along the way. It doesn't have to be an exhausting climb. In fact you might even learn more with diverse experiences than only conquering the mountain through hardship and struggle and perseverance. Open your heart and love yourself and others along the way. This is our true nature, our ultimate purpose. Just think maybe in all this confusion and debate, we may just be God's own explorers. All he asks of us is that we experience life as authentically as possible, and that we report back to him once in awhile, with stories and the occasional request for help and reinforcement. So be curious and investigate the workings of the world and yourself. As we evolve and grow and as new experiences come our way, there will be more to learn. We are all on a journey and our paths may cross for a moment or a lifetime. Let's enjoy this journey together and be a witness to someone else's sacred and unique life.