There is a statement attributed to Goethe to this effect: “Treat people as they are and they will remain as they are. Treat them as what they can and ought to be, and they will become what they can and ought to be.” I interpret this profound statement in the following way: treat every human being according to the final light of their being, because their Self is nothing other than your own Self. Look beyond the “I” they know and offer to you, toward something deeper, and in that depth you will find something of value toward which your action can be directed. To be kind is to see this light and to protect it within the Self and within other human beings.

Whenever we choose kindness, courage, and wisdom, the light of love, courage, and knowledge gains greater strength in the world around us. The waves created by each small act of kindness travel to places we cannot see and can bring goodness to rebirth in the world again and again with far greater power.

Aydin Areta