The young man in this image was on a commuter train, apparently on his way to a job interview and struggling with his tie. Seeing his difficulty, this woman told him to stand still and she’d tie it for him.

People, once they see each other directly, help one another, and willingly. It is small kindnesses like this that make the world a better place. They matter a very great deal. We need to do these things and see these things: they change us – improve us – on the inside, where it really matters. When enough of us see and participate in enough events like these, the world will improve organically. If, on the other hand, we are divided by labels and theories and artificial loyalties, we are atomized, separated and diminished.

* * * * *

Now, before you go back to the mundane, please imagine yourself in the position of this woman, this young man, or another passenger in the rail car. Then, try to carry that feeling with you for the rest of the day, stopping to recover it from time to time.

Our perspective matters a great deal. Rather than being fully immersed in the world’s mayhem, we can find a perspective like the one implied by this photo and see the world from above. In fact, perspectives like this one are necessary if we’re to be healthy and fruitful.

Humans are terrific at remembering, imagining and assembling ideas, but only when we have a state of mind that allows it; if we’re constantly bombarded with stimuli, distracted over and over, we simply can’t run our higher operations very well. We require perspective and quiet, even just to understand ourselves.

* * * * *

So, before going back to the mayhem, think of the times and places where you gained the type of feeling that comes from this image. List them, relive the experiences, and think about finding new ones.

This is an image of network cables running to their terminations, and it is an imagine of pristine workmanship. Actually, it’s workmanship that has risen to the level of art.

Excellent workmanship is a thing of beauty; and such things are important. We all need to create excellent things that we can look at and say, “I made that.” It’s a necessary pleasure, even if not much appreciated in some circles.

* * * * *

Before wading back into the mundane, remember something you made well, of whatever type. Appreciate the fact that you put something good into the world… something that wasn’t there before. We are supposed to experience satisfaction and joy, and we are supposed to enjoy those feelings… they inspire us to do more things very well. Producing excellence matters.

The two young men on the left received an accidental text on the birth of a child; along the lines of “Baby coming now, hurry.” (It was intended for the husband, on the right.) Not knowing how to find the husband, they went to the hospital themselves, to support the new mom however they might.

Humans can be excellent to one another, and excellent to strangers. All we really need is to see such things clearly… to have moral clarity.

* * * * *

So, before venturing back to the mundane, please spend some time imagining situations where you would jump in and help some stranger in need. The number of such situations is infinite, so see if you can spin-off at least three or four of them.

This store sits on Devon Avenue in Chicago, a street that has been central to one immigrant group after another for almost a hundred years. Now, please notice the middle line in the large sign: A Complete Pakistani & Indian Grocery Store.

Considerable numbers of Indians and Pakistanis began coming to Chicago in about 1977. But just 30 years prior, as British India was divided, these two groups brutally killed one another. A couple of million people died that way, and just 30 years later, memories were fresh.

But while Indians and Pakistanis have lots of problems in the old country, here on Devon Avenue… free to mingle or not… they began to get along; to the point were they willingly live and work together. They even hold joint concerts.

* * * * *

Before going back to the mundane, please consider that humans are more cooperative than we’ve been led to believe… that once they are neither forced together nor kept apart, they begin to cooperate.

This image shows a very interesting event: A fire on the Mexican side of the US-Mexican border. As most of us know, there are a lot of ill feelings over immigration between the two states; particularly so in border areas. And yet, when this fire broke out, firefighters from the Arizona side, knowing there was no similar equipment on the Mexican side, pulled up theirs and extinguished the fire.

What this situation created was moral clarity: An emergency made it clear that a goodly number of people were at immediate risk, not to mention their livelihoods. In the face of that, people who may have been politically pleased at having a wall of separation breached it themselves, because they cared more about the people on the other side.

* * * * *

So now, before you go back to the mundane world, think for a moment on seeing people rather than political objects. Also please meditate for a few minutes on Golden Rule: What is offensive to you, do to no one else. That one, simple statement yields more moral clarity than all the laws of the nations put together.

The man in the red hat was developmentally disabled, and became terrified by his ride on this train. The young man with the Adidas bag held his hands and let him curl up next to him for comfort.

Aside from the obvious benevolence of this young man, he showed himself worthy of being helped in his own low and difficult times. We’re all helpless coming into the world, and usually need a lot of help when exiting. This young man proved his worth.

* * * * *

Now, before re-entering the mundane, consider the times you proved your own worth in some way like this. Perhaps more importantly, watch for chances to do this kind of thing. The fact is that inertia keeps us from seizing many of our opportunities. If, however, we’re primed for them, inertia will not be able to rob us.

A man playing his violin to a child on a train… who can say what benefits will come from this? Will the child remember such a kindness? Will it form an impression that remains with them for life, adding color and depth, even though they don’t quite remember the event?

How will it affect all the observers on the train car? Or those who just see the image?

The truth is that we don’t know how our loving actions will spread in the world and affect people over the distances of space and time.

But we do know that these decisions and actions spread goodness in the world. And we undertake them for that reason, even though we can’t know what the results will be.

* * * * *

Before going back to the mundane, please take a moment to strengthen your faith in doing good. Believe in things that are impossible to see at present, and in results that you may never see. Believe that injecting good into the world matters.

Please enlarge these images if you can. The note begins, “About 5-1/2 years ago I did something very terrible to you, I stole your wallet out of your purse.” It goes on to explain the writer’s drug addiction, later treatment and other details. The writer also enclosed some cash, to help make things right.

This type of recovery and restitution may not happen as often as we’d like, but it does happen, and we should never forget that. Humans do recover themselves and repair themselves; they do try to repair the damages they caused.

We should never forget this fact.

* * * * *

So, prior to moving back into the mundane, remember when someone went out of their way to make things right with you, or when you went out of your way to make things right with others. Give your mind enough time to sort through your feelings on this.

This is Alberto Cassillas, a Spanish bar-owner, stopping the policemen who were about to rush into his business and beat a protester. But in addition to the protester, Cassillas had many others in his bar, including old people, women and children. They were all taking refuge from police violence. He stood in the doorway and would not let the policemen pass.

There are times when we must accept the risk of physical harm: that’s a result of the barbarity that remains in our world, and we sadly need to deal with it. Mr. Cassillas faced that risk (which doesn’t always turn out so well), because he valued human life and safety above the risk of taking blows.

* * * * *

So, before going back to the mundane, remember a time when you were afraid but did what was necessary anyway. Or, imagine it. Live through the event slowly, and run the thoughts of that moment through your mind. Feel them through to the end.