Imagine just how exquisite our world would be if people felt safe, respected, and valued. How differently might people behave? Being the change we want to see in the world is important. It is upon those of us who can see the possibilities to show it to others; and the way to do this, is by leading by example.
Creating a loving, friendly environment both within ourselves as well as the world around us, requires a degree of self-mastery. First, we need to take care of our own life requirements so that others are not needing to look after us. With our own needs cared for, we can then turn to the needs of others.
As with all forms of love, respect is again the guiding principal. Having genuine care and concern for others is a wonderful start; but, in order to make the most of our interactions with others, we need to understand their point of view and not simply impose our values and ideas upon them. Universal love, then, takes the Golden Rule one step further so that the measure is not simply how we would like to be treated, but rather, understanding how the other person wants to be treated. To do this, we take the time to learn about what is important to them specifically in terms of their perspectives, values, and beliefs.
