I have a love-hate relationship with this article, as I also have a love-hate relationship with most forms of what I think I can call "holistic thinking". The kind of thinking that extends compassion and love to everyone and everything. I love it on paper, but it's just not that easy in practice, and that part is usually conveniently stepped over.

Understanding the importance of compassion and the desire to embrace existence in a compassionate manner, does not erase our flaws. We still get tired, angry, confused, selfish, and continue to be otherwise just plain old humans. That's part of the point though, to see and understand and forgive ourselves for our flaws, so we can work through them and improve ourselves as human beings. In doing so, we can see and understand and forgive the flaws of others, and in doing so, through compassion and love and friendship, help them work through theirs. Sometimes we have to focus more on ourselves than others though and that's okay. Sometimes we have to know that someone or the situation another is in is beyond us too and that sucks, but we can only do so much. And sometimes, people just don't want to be helped, and that also sucks, but when that's the case, there's no helping until they're ready.

You can search enlightenment and embrace the universe & each other all you want, but if it's not actually making you a kinder and better person then what's the point really? What do you have to show for? Do you just feel better or are you actually doing better things because of that perspective?

If you don't act on what you believe, how can you know you really believe it? If you do act on what you believe, but only when it's easy or convenient, how can you know you really believe it? If you do act on what you believe, even when it's hard, even if you fail and chastise yourself for it, well that's taking steps in the right direction.

Either way, actions mean more than. What we do, as individuals, shows more about us than our words ever will, both to ourselves and to the world watching us. Maybe we all oughta talk a whole lot less and do a whole lot more, and in the process, find that when we act with an intent for compassion, it just has a way of bringing itself out.