This is my favorite picture of 2009, coming from the Iranian protests of June, when a brave, young anti-government protester protects a motorcycle policeman from harm after the same policeman has been attacking the crowd. Talk about forgiveness and compassion...I am not anywhere close to this level of enlightment. This photo reminds me of the primary spiritual challenge and opportunity of the human condition: seeing beyond our "separateness" (and labels of liberal, murderer, Jew, environmentalist, conservative, terrorist, banker, etc.) to our commonalities (and oneness) with all human beings. Looking at everyone as a sister or brother, as this young man obviously does.
Most of the suffering in this world, including wars, are caused by our tendency to view others as people wholly separate from ourselves, setting up "a good versus bad" construct. You can see the craziness of this in World War I, for example, when you had relatively similar and modern European people, like the French and German people, gruesomely killing each other over power and ideology. Or in Rwanda, Cambodia, Iraq, Somalia, Congo, etc.
I am not arguing that fearful people who do hateful or crazy things should not be confronted, stopped, or locked up. But I do not have to demonize them in the process. And at the same time, it is important to speak up for the causes I believe in, especially the objective facts are clear...yes, there is global warming, AIDS, poverty, etc. And yes, some of my brothers and sisters are completely wrong-headed in their beliefs (and obviously driven by fear) and sometimes I need to strongly call them out and counter their views. And yes, in the heat of the moment, I am going to forget all this and revert to viewing others as the enemy and as being separate from me. That's only human.
So as this decade ends and a new one begins, I am committing myself to the practice of seeing everyone as my brother or sister, regardless how crazy, angry, murderous, hateful, greedy, or mean that they may act. Even typing these words makes me feel a little vulnerable and "out there". And maybe one day, with steady practice, I can approach the level of compassion, love and forgiveness demonstrated by this young Iranian in the green t-shirt. Not doing this because I want to be a "good" buddhist, but rather doing so for my own inner peace and well-being. And this benefits the world.
(This post is dedicated to my spiritual buddy, Phil, who keeps encouraging me to grow and open up to love in all of its many splendid forms.)
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