Respect Born of Compassion

Yutang Lin

Observing the abundance of suffering in worldly lives,
Seeing people keeping it up by enduring pains and worries,
Yet outwardly everything goes on as if there were no problems,
Compassion for their heavy burdens yields respect in my mind.

Comment:

Most people have their concealed worries and hidden pains while carrying on daily activities and engaging in social functions. What appears to be peaceful and leisurely is indeed staged through concerted endeavors of many enduring individuals. In compassion for such situations respect naturally arises toward their efforts in maintaining a peaceful and functioning social order. Therefore, in daily interaction with others I remind myself to remain respectful.

Written in Chinese on June 30, 2000
Translated on July 1st, 2000
El Cerrito, California

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