What do you do when fortune smiles upon you? Do you celebrate with humility and gratitude, sharing your joy with others, or do you revel in your success, looking down on those around you? Is there a better way to rise?
What do you do when someone close to you finds success? Do you feel joy for their achievements, or do you let envy cloud your heart? Can you find a way to lift them up as they shine?
What do you do when misfortune strikes you? Do you fall into despair, questioning "Why me?" or blaming the world? Or do you find strength in the struggle, knowing that hardship is only temporary?
What do you do when someone close to you faces adversity? Do you secretly rejoice at their misfortune, do you turn away, believing they deserve it, or do you reach out with compassion, offering support in their time of need?
Why do we act this way? Is it because we think that we're the chosen ones somehow, or that misfortune is something that happens to others, but never to us?
Here's something to remember – No life is above or below any other life. As there is no wave in the ocean without a crest and a trough, it is not life without its own peaks and valleys. The secret is to stay grounded in the good times and to remain hopeful in the tough ones. Rejoicing in another's misfortune is one of the most painful expressions of human nature, and it serves no one.
When I reflect on our shared journey, I picture a tree. First, there are the leaves – representing all of us, the individuals. But the true essence of the tree lies in the trunk – the core, the unity. Too often, we focus solely on ourselves, like leaves on branches, forgetting that we are part of something far greater. If only we could recognize our interconnectedness, we would honor every life as sacred, seeing the divine in each person, each being.
May we recognize the sacredness within ourselves and in all that exists around us!
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