Stirring Point

It’s not about you, my brother. It’s about us—the collective whole. You swallow the world, expecting everyone else to breathe your air. You clutch the wheel and demand to steer. Control gives you meaning but you’re headed for a crash. And when you do, we’ll be left in your wake, cleaning our wounds from your scattered shrapnel.

You cast your reflection on the windows of the world to see yourself in everything. The center, the podium, the nucleus of all things. When was the last time you were a bit player on stage? Have you ever been an extra in another man’s story?

Ah, and your tales of how you did it all alone. No rich parents to rely on or benefactors to prop you up. The old bootstraps monologue, right? “With a little gumption, they can too,” you say. But you ignore their circumstances, seeing only your vision. “To hell with the handouts,” you shout, but you take yours quietly when no one’s looking.

Compassion is not a chore to sidestep; it’s a gift of unmarred clarity. Friendships aren’t for filling schedules or the seats around our table. They’re about offering our attention and curiosity to those we love. Your greed blinds you to the needs of others—a master of the universe—complacent to all things that fail to serve you.

Have you ever truly listened when your loved ones speak? Can you give something without expecting a gift in return? Is life a ledger to you, measuring transactions and exchanges bound only for the black?

When the dead of night finds you, the quiet will be all-consuming. No distractions are strong enough to muzzle its teeth and the visions of despair will start their haunt. Sleep will be a dream beyond your reach and the waking hours will morph into protracted nightmares. You’ll lust for compassion, for someone to hear you, but your self-serving years have built too many walls. 

All of this can change, though. If you are willing to be vulnerable, the world of compassion will open its arms. When you walk, make space on the path for others to join you. When you sit, do so with an ear for listening. When you speak, allow your words to comb the minds of others with grace. 

Always remember, it’s about us. It always has been and always will be.