The best ‘retaliation’ we can all make to the Boston Marathon bombers and the best offering we can make to the victims of this horrible incident is to look deeply into our own hearts. Babies are not born ‘bombers.’ Humans are taught hatred just like we’re taught how to write, spell, and read. There are people all over the world who are not loved when they’re young. It can become a vicious cycle from generation to generation. We each have to model and ‘teach’ love to our family and community. When we have one finger of blame at someone else or another institution, we have three fingers pointing back at ourselves.
Where am I holding judgments? Where and to whom am I withholding my love? Where do I feel justified to not forgive someone?
We need a revolution of our hearts. WE are the revolution of OUR own heart.
The blame game isn’t working. We must look at the only person we can change; ourself.
Question we have to ask ourselves: Who am I harboring hatred toward? And maybe hatred is a big word. Hatred starts as intolerance. It starts as a little resentment, a little annoyance, a flip of the finger at someone who cuts you off in traffic, or someone who says something to hurt your feelings. Hatred starts small, and every time you feed the resentment with “I have a reason to be mad. I have a reason to not forgive,” then we’re only adding to the possibility of harboring hatred in our own hearts.
The inner work, DANG, it’s so hard to look at your own mind and heart. But do it we must. We must. We CAN transform our hearts and thoughts just like we can transform our body with exercise. Jesus was right. Gandhi was right. Buddha was right. The Dalai Lama is right.
Pray and meditate. Learn to love. We can do this, I know we can.