I do the work I do to elevate humanity – my own and others'.
I engage in dialogue so I can experience the humanness of other people.
So I can have the privilege of hearing their stories, their troubles, their joys, their losses, their successes, their anger, their happiness, their despair, their hope.
So I can hear their journey. And so I can share mine.
So we can connect. And build a relationship. A friendship. A partnership. A trust. A collaboration. A support network. A coalition of collective good.
I center empathy and kindness and compassion and curiosity and equanimity. I stay present with another person's truth. I listen. I validate their lived experiences. I amplify their voice.
I use my power and privilege and influence to make positive change.
Intentionally.
I don't always get it right. Don't always sustain the effort. Sometimes I slip up. Get it wrong. Am inauthentic. Make an error of emphasis. Succumb to incivility. Forget what guides me. Devolve.
But I always get back on track. I always find some person or some message or some experience that brings me back to humanity.
That brings me back to focus. That brings me back to forward momentum and progress.
That brings me back to the vast dynamism of the human condition.
That brings me back to love.