“In separateness lies the world’s great misery, in compassion lies the world’s true strength.” -Buddha

If you look at the world as a source of a pain–full of selfish people who don’t care about others–you’re likely to put up a guard to protect yourself from vulnerability and hurt.

Separating yourself this way will likely create a lot of hardship. Alienation always hurts.

A sense of connection to the people around us is crucial to our happiness–but you can only have that if you sense there is no “me” and “them.” That though we may have our differences, and we all make poor choices at times, we’re really not that different.

People can’t cause you pain if don’t let them in. People can’t disappoint you if you never trusted them to begin with. But they also can’t touch your heart. Or inspire you. Or remind you of everything in the world that’s good and beautiful.

Today when someone seems thoughtless or uncaring–when you’re tempted to shut down and write them off–try to understand them instead. Sometimes it’s all it takes is a little empathy to remind someone people care and motivate them to do the same.