Make a decision. Do no harm. It’s simple enough. Don’t wreck anything. Don’t hurt people, things, or life. Don’t make a mess unless you have the courage to both learn from and clean up the results. It’s okay to break things, especially rules. Yet still, try to do no harm.
Then comes the contemplative part. Spend some time to sit with the thought of it. Mull it over. What does it mean to do no harm? How creative can we get? How far do we go? There are monks of some orders who pluck the hairs from their heads rather than run the risk of having to someday kill lice. Mother nature is doing the job for me, thankfully. I’m glad I managed to dodge that bullet. But I still have to decide what impact I am willing to make upon the world. Even the gentlest of footprints alters the landscape. It’s impossible to leave no trace of our existence on this planet. Is there a distinguishable line between what’s ethical and what’s practical?
We see nature and conclude that harm is everywhere. We see in humanity the same. We have such a dark view of ourselves. Infected with an idea of unworthiness when the only unworthy thing is the idea itself. We wonder why we should bother with a cup full of water when the fire is raging. Yet that is the only way.
Against logic, it is easier to change the world by starting small. Begin first by doing no harm to yourself. That’s the part they forget to tell you about. But how can we “do unto others” if we don’t take steps away from harming ourselves? Start small. Quit smoking, or switch to ‘lights’ at least. Order only from the dollar menu. Do whatever you have to in order to make even the smallest decision in favor of yourself. Do less harm.
Then make a choice never to step backward from it. Never. Every step forward is progress. Every step backward is harm. Do no harm. Make mistakes. Fall a million times. Still, intend to do no harm. You may fall on your face, but that’s still forward.
Notice it every time you succeed. Notice every time someone else does what you also want to be able to do. Congratulate them in your heart. Move forward with them. Hop on their jetstream. Learn from geese. It’s easier to fly in formation.
Notice what you eat. How much harm are you willing to live with? It’s easy for a single millennial to be an organic vegan these days. Now add kids and life and two jobs and the line starts to budge. What is practical? When in doubt, eat local. Be a locavore. Decide for six months to eat food that is locally grown and see how you like it. There are several services which will deliver it right to your door. That’ll pull the plug on a whole bunch of harm right there. Some solutions are delicious.
Do no harm may mean switching to an electric or hybrid car next time. There’s plenty out there on the market now. Or even just choosing a slightly better gas mileage than intended. Make a decision to use public transportation one day a week as a voluntary offset and talk about how awesome you are on Facebook. It’s okay.
Keep inching in the direction of doing no harm, and always be sure to notice it. Take pride in your forward movement no matter how insignificant it might seem. I guarantee you, it isn’t. No hair goes uncounted.
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