Thomas Merton sums up much of my life’s perspective in his book, “New Seeds of Contemplation.” His words ring true today. He writes that when we see the world as divided, it’s only a projection of our internal division. In battling others, we’re only compromising our own values. We might not recognize it because we don’t spend enough time in solitude. Solitude allows us to reconnect ourselves where we’ve become compromised. It’s not about living in a place where we’re always right. Instead we reconcile ourselves with where we’ve been wrong. Then we can see the world with a new perspective—one that seeks unity over division. Sorry I seemed to ramble again. Sleep was scant because one of my dogs was coughing all night.

The serenity prayer adopted by Alcoholics Anonymous is one we all can employ during our times of struggle. It’s important not to suffer twice by resisting what is happening. Instead, we examine what can be done in each moment. In some cases, there is a small thing we can do. In others, we accept what it is without adding more anxiety. It might seem overwhelming to think about how long you can endure in your suffering. But we can tell ourselves, “I can accept this moment,” and, as those in AA believe, we take things one day at a time.

People can be really cruel to one another on social media, or any place where they don’t interact with others face-to-face. You can take them personally, or you can see them as lines in a play, where the other is merely playing a role. Good or bad, these words don’t define you. If anything, it shows the other person’s projection of wounds. In the book, In Search of Wisdom, the writers tell us that inner peace can never come when you rely on the opinions of others. In the same vein, we should choose our own words carefully, choosing words that bear truth and compassion.

Certain days can be difficult to endure. You don’t see light anywhere, and the path just seems long with no end in sight. You grow tired, thinking, “I have no fight left.” But Hope whispers in your ear, “Just keep going.” Hope can come in the form of a memory of someone dear or of a dog who finds joy in simplicity. Hope isn’t an escape hatch but rather a small drink of water when the spirit is thirsty.

We might strive to get what we want, but ultimately that’s never enough. When we mindlessly indulge in our egoic desires, we live a life that swings between satisfaction and dissatisfaction. We can still this pendulum by living beyond our hyperindividualism. This means recognizing that the world moves much more easily when we surrender to its movement. This means that the option we demanded for ourselves might not be best for all those involved. The universe chooses the path of sustaining itself, and it favors interdependence. Readings here are taken from The Aspen Institute’s Relationist Manifesto, which was conceived by New York Times writer David Brooks. You can find this manifesto on the Aspen Institute’s website.

My heart was truly moved this morning reading an article from Lion’s Roar about the US election result. Hearing these Buddhist leaders resonate their teachings with our current state of affairs is what we all need. We all have a role in weaving the fabric of society back together. Once your emotional reaction subsides, stay awake. There is work to be done.

We engage in a lot of testing and measures to gauge change in our physical health or intellectual progress, but how about spiritual or emotional growth? If you look back a few months or years, have you learned from your mistakes? Have you transformed through your suffering? It’s important for us to take time to reflect on our growth so we aren’t winding up circling back to past mistakes.

No one on this planet is truly “self-made.” If not for the hundreds, thousands, or millions of people who have had to work to create conditions for one’s success, the person would not be successful. One person not attending to their task can create a ripple of conditions for another’s failure. This suggests our interdependence. Rather than allow an inflated ego to give ourselves the credit, we should consider the many others whose shoulders we needed to stand on to even reach that ladder of success. In gratitude for others, we then pay it forward and help others live their dreams.

It is easy to get caught up in collective delusion, especially when it feeds our desire to belong. But can we look deeply within to see how our desires and impulses influence our behavior? Are we chasing after something abstract without looking at the concrete? Do we rely on others for our esteem and worth, fearing and distracting ourselves from the Voice of Truth? James Allen writes how important it is for us to spend time in solitude so that we can ask ourselves, “What is really going on here?” Sorry I seem to be rambling—I’ve had little to no sleep last night.