I remember it perfectly.
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It was November 9, 2016. It was overcast in New York City and the people around me looked dazed, like a dear family member had passed. The mood was oddly somber, especially in contrast to the daily buzz of the city.
It was the day after Trump was elected.
I was too distraught and cloudy-headed to be productive, so I took to a cafe to sit and reflect with my journal.
I was looking for an answer, some wisdom on how to move forward. While looking out the window, I saw a homeless man approach a younger woman about to enter the cafe.
I'm embarrassed to say that my biases and city cynicism got the best of me, and I sympathized with the young woman rather than the homeless man. “So unfortunate,” I thought, “getting harassed by this man just as she is starting her day.”
After a brief interaction with the man, she came into the cafe and ordered some coffee and baked goods to-go.
Outside, she stopped and gave the man a fresh coffee and a bag of croissants.
Then it hit me.
That in dark times, when you don’t know where to start, start with love.
Love as a path to generosity.
Love as a path to peace.
Boundless, limitless, unexpected, and unconditional love for this planet and the beings on it.
It's a moment that I frequently come back to.
So often, it’s natural to resort to anger, judgement, and fear when faced with a difficult situation.
But sometimes, as difficult as it may feel, the only way out is through love.
In our Compassion Guide, we share our favorite loving kindness meditation to help you radiate love to the world around you. It’s a simple but powerful exercise in leading with love. Become a member today →
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Compassion
This article is part of our series on the theme of Compassion.
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