Shrinking

“Self-absorption in all its forms kills empathy, let alone compassion. When we focus on ourselves, our world contracts as our problems and preoccupations loom large. But when we focus on others, our world expands. Our own problems drift to the periphery of the mind and so seem smaller, and we increase our capacity for connection - or compassionate action.”

― Daniel Goleman, Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships

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I might be wrong

I often am

But it seems as if we are getting smaller

There are voices out there appealing to our essential selfishness

Telling us that we need to think

Only of ourselves

Our sense of safety

Our affluence (or lack thereof)

We need, the voices murmur

Think of ourselves first

which translate really means

that we should think of ourselves

only

narrowing the world down to

“us”

Don’t what we need

Or rather what we want

Without regard

Without regard

For how our actions affect

“them”

Only “they” are real people

With hopes, and dreams

Fears and pain

“they”

Are those who need health insurance if they are to live

(or at least not go bankrupt)

“they” are children who may no longer

Have enough food

Or stable housing

Or a decent education

“they” are Syrian infants

Buried in the rubble after another air attack

“they” are old people who need

Care and companionship

If we cannot see past what we think will help "us"

to see what horrible things may happen, are happening

to the earth and "them",

that we might benefit

then we have lost our way

Jesus said the first shall be last

St Francis said that “it is in giving that we receive”

I believe that

I don’t always live it perfectly, but I believe it

I don’t want to be small

I don’t want my world to shrink

I want it to expand

And I don’t want my country to become small

I don’t want us to move to that place

Where we are narrow and selfish

Protecting ourselves, benefiting ourselves

While leaving others behind

I want us to care about our children, I do

But I think we best do that by carrying for the children of Syria

I want us to enjoy enough energy and affluence

But not if it means we destroy mother earth

And exploits other countries

We cannot give into to policies that might, maybe, perhaps

Benefit us

But are essentially selfish

We cannot let empathy and compassion die

Without

In the end

Losing our way

And losing ourselves

At least that is how I see it

From where I stand!