Good To Be Good Drive #3 x In Support of Women’s Habitat
Often, when we say, “I love you or I care for something” we center mostly on the notion of the “I” who is doing the loving and not so much on the quality of the love that’s being offered. I think this is because, with all of the social coordinates that surround us, we’re sometimes caught by the idea of self and it disrupts interlinked understanding and the flow of love. We think we have a self. And, yes, it is one of the hardest things to outgrow or manage – the hungry ego that just wants to protect us and keep us all warm and fuzzy from significant growth. But I have learned, through experiences and deep reflection, that there really is no such thing as an individual separate self.
For instance, we all comprehend that a flower or say a plant is made up of non-plant elements. Sunlight, water, soil, chlorophyll, etc. If we isolate all of those elements, there would be nothing keeping that flower alive. Just like us humans, a flower cannot be by itself alone. It is interconnected with the world it flourishes in. We can’t exist by ourselves alone as our humanity is bound to others. I mean, we can inter-be, but that would be a very lonely, destructive and unfulfilling existence. But really, who wants and benefits from that? So if we can’t exist by ourselves, that also probably means we can’t make and fortify the change that we all need just by ourselves. Ergo, with this way of seeing things, we go forth with the nature of my happiness is connected with others’ happiness and their difficulties, are mine as well. And from there, what becomes rooted is our responsibility to respond and act. When we put focus on helping others, we are also able to cope with ourselves effectively. Somehow, the move of giving and doing beyond your “self” is both a personal and universal releasing factor.
The fruits of our future values will be able to continuously grow with every small or large act of unrequited love and willingness we sow. And large scale, if they are both generously present in each genuine act – we mold and build our world and ourselves simultaneously. This is what it means to embrace all of humanity and no matter what, work hard towards radical change for its future. So it’s important that we seek the complementary forces of love and sheer will, despite the challenging circumstances, if we want to rise to the problems and injustices of the present that affect the entirety of our earth and the people that draw breath from it. These are our sources of relentless hope and the power of altruism.
The purpose of these Good To Be Good charity drive events is not only to raise donations for an important cause, but also ignite engagement in our community and its supporters with what truly matters in the core of our hearts. Equality and human rights should not be treated with one time bandaids; we must strengthen our morals, commitment and fight to change it positively. Let’s continue to build a world, in which I believe is necessary and possible, where all people can lead free and dignified lives.
We all may be one person, but together we are many. We may believe that we are not well influential as individuals, but together we are humbly powerful. There is always a time to improve and do some good. And there are so many ways to get involved!
At the end of the day, a better world begins with each and every one of us.
Special thanks to our Benefit 3 Collaborators:
Calii Love / Amsterdam Beer / Flow Water / OCR Inc. / Ann Pirvu (Reign) / Be Body Aware / 920 Films / Michael Davidson / Roger Gingerich / Will Ko / VMP Music Group
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