To work toward an ideal is a supreme way of living. What is an ideal? What is your ideal? An ideal is a maxim that you live by – whereby you see – Jesus’ would be “peace” and Mother Theresa’s would be “loving care” or “loving kindness.” What do you want to be while you are here? Use your ideal as your guiding light: love, peace, friendship, kindness, faith, hope, despair or rage. See how the last two don’t fit in? That is no way to live your time here on earth – what a waste – when you could instead be providing friendship, care, and loving kindness. See these negatives (rage, despair) as the vacuum they are. They don’t give and grow – they take away and destroy. You’ll recognize these negative traits, if you live by your ideal, for they will be apparently contra to what you are trying to cultivate. Pick an ideal today and set your work and relationships and life by it. An ideal is like the steam engine at the head of the train. It will give you momentum, drive, and energy to push forward during these somewhat difficult times.
