Here is a quote of Nelson Mandela: “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Many people acknowledge the wisdom of these words, but do not know where to begin in the “teaching of love”.
What we understand of “teaching” might be the problem. If it is true, as the quote continues, for “love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite”, then perhaps it is in trusting this that we need to begin.
If every human heart holds the possibility of love, and I am certain this is true, than rather than “teaching love”, what if we are to simply open the door to it’s possibility?
When I look back in my own life, I can see that it was often small and seemingly insignificant moments that touched me deeply and allowed in me the awakening of love that Mandela talked about.
When I cannot see the love in another, it is because I have lost track of my own awareness of love within myself. Instead, I replace the feeling of love with judgment, fear, or some other less worthy emotion.
Human beings evolve. I evolve. And when this process of evolution brings me back to love it is sweet. I believe this is what is meant when it is said, “Peace begins with me.”
And however simplistic to the ears, anyone who has attempted to walk this path of love can tell you it is not an easy journey – but it is a rewarding one.
Our collective society has grown callous to hate. We have learned to judge endlessly and we have forgotten the simple truth, that “love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”
Our tolerance for hate has brought us to this moment; our intolerance for hatred within ourselves must end it.
This is the difficult road, this is the one less taken, but it is the course before us. The course we have not yet collectively tried. Perhaps it is time.
let kindness win 