The thing to understand is that there are no others, not really. As the First Tenet states: they are as you. It's easy to look at the differences that seem to separate us and turn away, inwards, focusing on ourselves and our individual needs. Life can be demanding, and other people's desires and motivations may often feel like unwelcome, alien intrusions. However, if we simply listen to the connection that lives between us all, it speaks to how we are never so dissimilar after all. The core human experience remains the same across cultures - across time - no matter how many layers of obfuscation we may try to put between us.

 

        You may ask: even if I accept this as truth, why should I care? I still have to put myself first - who else would take care of my needs, if not I?

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        The answer lies in the Second Tenet: you are as us. Yes, your individual needs must be met, and there is nobody better equipped than you to ensure that they are advocated for. But we do not live in vacuum; we cannot. One of the most important needs we have as humans is for community, and the foundation of community is mutual care. This, too, is a reflection of our inner nature as part of one whole. When you care for others, you are caring for yourself.

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        We are all worth knowing. We are all worth loving. We are as one.