What If Love IS All We Need?

Once upon a time, many many years ago, in a land far away, I was scholar-shipped into a week-long leadership course. Given I was way too cool for a leadership course (seriously, I played in a band!), I had hatched an escape plan before I arrived. I would feign sickness the next day and drive off into the sunset to freedom and away from the restrictive and timetabled events that must surely have been programmed to follow. 

I didn't go through with it. The escape plan. And in that week I experienced a huge leap in personal development. And love for every one of the 65 people on the course. 

As we settled in for 'housekeeping' shortly after arrival, it was announced that there was only one rule to abide by for the week: do or say anything you want to as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. Let that sink in. 

How much thought do we actually give to how our words and actions affect others? If this was our daily mantra would there be a need for a #metoo movement? Would we be in the midst of the #blacklivesmatter movement? Would we need to have LGBT Pride Month? Would we walk past a homeless citizen or watch as a fellow human rummaged through a garbage bin for food? Would we stand by and watch someone be degraded and say nothing? Would we endlessly shake our finger, deflecting blame outwards/upwards/downwards - anywhere but inwards?

Poets, musicians, artists and dramaturgs have focused on the theme of love since time immemorial. What if every action we took, every thought we had and every word we spoke was from love? What if we put others thoughts and feelings on an equal footing as our own? What if forgiveness wiped revenge out of the dictionary?

Sound Utopic? Far fetched? Too hard to manifest? 

Sounds a little more rewarding than hate, theft, inequality, anger, destruction, starvation and corruption.

As you walk through this day, try living by the leadership rule (revisit paragraph 3). Be pillard by love and kindness, compassion and respect. Be the change you want to see for our children and for our planet. Tilt the world to good. 

Together we can create #afuturebydesign.