Love Others as Yourself - 愛人如己

When I was at graduate school, I lived close to a nice girl Andrea and her fiancé (they lived in separate units for they are Christians). Andrea ever said to me, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. It is from Bible.” It was the first time I heard this line and I was much moved. They ever helped me a lot and their kindness is still bringing me warm feelings.

Confucius advocates people to love others, too, but the love should start from one’s parents and family. The ancient sage Mengzi said: “Take care of our own parents, as well as the other elders; take care of our own offspring, as well as the other youngsters.” When you have little to share, take good care of yourself and your family; when you are wealthy and successful, lend a hand to as many people as you can. If everyone can love and respect their own family and relatives, and extend this kind of love to the other people, how beautiful this world will be!

First and foremost, we have to love ourselves, have a positive self-image, take good care of our body, mind and spirit, and maintain inner harmony and peace within ourselves. Love ourselves first; with peace, joy and inner strength, we can have power and capability to love others.

Naturally, we can return love to whoever has shown love to us, such as, our parents, grandparents, siblings, friends and so on. Also, we should love our neighbors before they show love to us, and we can extend our love and concern to the entire human kind, including our enemy. Everyone deserves happiness; no one should be suffering.

If we don’t want to be judged harshly, we should not judge the others harshly; if we want to be loved, we have to give love; if we want to live in a world full of beauty and kindness, we have to have beauty and kindness in our heart and then spread them out. Do onto others as you would have them do onto you, for things go around shall come around.

It requires more strength to love than to hate. Love can be developed. Treat others as you want to be treated. Feel thankful for what we receive from the other people, the earth and the universe.

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• Beautiful ! Thanks for sharing. -天澤園- ♀ (186 bytes) () 06/26/2009 postreply 21:20:39