Friendship

Friendship is a process. Though we say, "I have a friend who....," friends are not possessions; they are partners in an exchange of support, intimacy and affection. The process of making and keeping friendships requires commitment and generosity of spirit. The rewards are great. Like exercise, maintaining friendships requires sustained effort and yields rewards to your wellbeing commensurate to your investment. I strive in my daily practice to cherish my friendships by nurturing them.

Wanting

The wheel of suffering in this world is fueled by wanting. Yet the ruling world culture, based in Capitalism, is motivated by wanting. As the human species spins more and more toward Capitalist supremacy, it will also spin more and more toward increased suffering. It will be that suffering which will eventually bring down Capitalism. We live on a rock in an atmospheric bubble in a vast and chaotic Universe. If we live responsibly in balance and harmony with the planet, we may indeed evolve to see our species outlive the life of the planet itself. This would be an evolutionary breakthrough of Universal merit. However, if we persist in wanting what we know is harmful to ourselves and our planet, we as a species will most likely regress or perish. Each person can contribute to human evolution by choosing to live in responsible balance through thought and meditation. The ability to do so is what makes us human.

Immigration

Migration is a natural animal process as old as animal species. Yet, human beings always segregate themselves from other animals by proclaiming themselves above the laws of nature and under the rule of human law. The current immigration issues on the planet are symptoms of a natural imbalance in the human population. A significant portion, the vast majority, of the world's humans are poor and ignorant. Yet, the educated and affluent minority occupies cities in countries which have developed educational and social infrastructure. The many wish to live like the few. The few are not capable of living as they live if the many demand to share their infrastructure without bringing any resources to that infrastructure. Therefore, the many are being allowed to invade affluent societies (infrastructures) to work as drones for the few. The few don't realize that the drain on their societies, especially democratic and socialist societies, will inevitably bring down the standard of living in those societies. These are not issues which can be solved by sentimental anecdotes about gardeners and house painters looking for a better life for their (too many) children. These issues can only be solved by the eventual education of the newcomers. This can take a very long time. Centuries. In the meantime, a new Dark Age approaches. If you don't take History's lessons to heart, you will be doomed to repeating those lessons.