Wednesday, April 7, 2021
People need you. Yes that’s right, they need you. Actually, we need each other, but not in ways that we are always aware. I’m not referring to the kinds of needs that “needy” or clingy people require of you. Those people only think they need validation and attention, and often in an obsessive way. Real human need runs deeper, and is more vital to our future as a species. The first need is the need to be heard. We all could do better at compassionate, tender and attentive listening. Secondly, people need to be seen. There is something so incredibly powerful about deep, penetrating eye contact. When we make an effort to look, directly into someone’s eyes – that energy is comforting, not confrontational, but deeply meaningful. Make sure you really see those who are with you. Make it a point to connect with people by looking into their eyes, more deliberately.
Finally, there is the need to be understood. Understanding doesn’t mean always being in agreement with others, or condoning poor behaviors. It means total, unbiased comprehension. To truly understand a human is to see beyond their ego and ignorance. When you understand, you don’t get sucked into insulting words, aggressive behavior, or childish disagreements. I’m not implying that we don’t hold people accountable for their actions. Even Jesus modeled understanding, when he forgave those that beat him up and caused him agonizing pain. He understood that those who hurt him didn’t know what they were doing. He understood them in ways that are difficult to do.
So many humans lack the wisdom of understanding. The understanding of which I am referring cannot be objectified. Understanding is tapping into the greatest resource of all, the universal intelligence that exists within each of us. When you understand this awesome and peaceful presence within you, you’ll begin to see it in others. BE the understanding that humanity needs. Hear, see, and understand your fellow humans. Turning them into enemies will never work. It’s time to offer a new dimension of human understanding to the world and to move beyond petty “disagreements.”