We are all connected. When one person suffers, we all suffer. It is our responsibility to ensure that we care for ourselves, but we must balance this with seeing others as ourselves. Very often we hold ourselves or others in judgement as a false boundary to give ourselves a means or reasons to not care for them (or yourself) or to justify behavior.

In difficult situations where feelings run high, it is sometimes important to remember that being neutral may be the most compassionate thing to do. To hold the situation, as the Buddhists say, “with equanimity” offers true space where you internally or the situation externally are neither right or wrong, but instead make room for all voices. This creates space for Maitri or Metta ( loving kindness) and for all to be heard whether you speak or not. Sometimes to be neutral, we just sit together, or play music together, or sing, or draw, or cook, but something that does not create harm only space.

The more we can learn to sit with equanimity and all the voices, the more we can create an internal and external safety that all can meet and prosper and be happy. In so doing, we lessen the suffering in the world just a little bit more. For if you suffer, I suffer. If we suffer, the world suffers, if the world suffers, so does our connection to the larger universal rhythm and energy that sustains us all.

“here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)”
-e.e. cummings