“Skip the religion and politics, head straight to the compassion. Everything else is a distraction.”
― Talib Kweli
How do religion and politics lead you toward or away from compassion?
“Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.”
― Ann Landers
What have you found the courage to let go of?
“Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave [people] to win them.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
What brave action is still in the planning stages for you?
One of the most important ways to shape the world is through participating in government: as a voter, an organizer, a protester, a candidate, a committee member, a letter writer, a phone caller, a canvasser, a contributor, a person who—in whatever way—pushes for people and policies that support their convictions.
How do you participate in shaping your local or national government?
“I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave [person] is not [the one] who does not feel afraid, but [the one] who conquers that fear.”
― Nelson Mandela
What helps you to conquer your fear?