Looking Toward a Better Future
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. - The Dalai Lama
My mother, who always showed me great compassion, was born in Baltimore, Maryland in February 1943. When February came, her neighborhood would celebrate all of the February birthdays by gathering and playing the song “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” originally sung by Arthur Clough, and later by Bing Crosby. Because of her, February always makes me think about loving and honoring people.
In addition to it being February, the recent passing of Jimmy Carter, who was president the year I was born, reminds me to try to live up to the legacy of the great and compassionate people who have come before me. This new year, I’ve been thinking about human rights leaders and their movements, and how they should impact our lives and our possible futures.
The right to have a healthy environment is fundamental. “Of all the various species on the planet, human beings are the biggest troublemakers.” In the illustrated story Heart to Heart: A Conversation on Love and Hope for Our Precious Planet by the Dalai Lama, the Dalai Lama urges us to remember that we are interconnected. During his walk through sweetly drawn pages with a panda bear, he tells the story of the Buddha from the standpoint of a tree, makes a case for our connection to the planet, and warns us not to use our power to destroy.
Jimmy Carter grew up in Archery, Georgia, on his family farm - without running water or electricity. He served as an officer in the Navy and was the Governor of Georgia. As the 39th president from 1977 to 1981, he expanded the National Parks and fought to protect the environment. In 2002, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to resolve international conflicts. To learn more about him in his own words read A Full Life: Reflections at Ninety by Jimmy Carter
One of my favorite books, What We Owe the Future by Will MacAskill, argues that all people have equal moral worth now, in the past, and in the future. Moral values tend to stay the same for many generations - for example, an adherence to Confucianism or the Bible. He explains that we are all responsible for shaping the moral trajectory of the planet. In chapter 8, MacAskill asks “Is it good to make people happy?” He argues that having more happy people makes the world a better place. I hope one of these selections makes you happy!
John Lewis served in the United States House of Representatives and was an accomplished author. He was a Freedom Rider and an important figure in the Civil Rights Movement, protesting for equal rights and working against racism in the United States. John Lewis believed in the power to affect positive change through non-violent protest. In his book, Carry On: Reflections for a New Generation, he makes a strong case for a hopeful future and provides great advice on how to live to bring it about.
Let us know if you have read any of these titles. We would love to know what you think!
-Ellen, West Windsor Branch
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