How Do We Put an End to Hatred?
Not long ago I read something in a magazine that I think can help all of us a great deal: “An important man shouted at the director of his company because he was angry at that moment. The director went home and shouted at his wife, accusing her of spending too much, because there was a generous lunch on the table. His wife shouted at the maid because she broke a plate. The maid kicked the dog because it tripped her. The dog ran off and bit a woman walking along the sidewalk, because she was in its way. The woman went to the hospital to get a shot and have the wound treated, and she shouted at the young doctor because the shot hurt. The young doctor went home and shouted at his mother because he didn’t like the food. His mother, forbearing and a wellspring of love and forgiveness, stroked his hair and said: ‘My dear son, I promise that tomorrow I’ll make your favorite meal. You work very hard, you’re tired and you need a good night’s sleep. I’m going to change your sheets for fresh, sweet-smelling ones so you can rest in peace. Tomorrow you’ll feel better.’ She blessed her son and left the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts…”
At that moment the circle of hatred was broken, because it collided with forbearance, gentleness, forgiveness and love. If any of us have entered a circle of hatred, we need to know that we can break it quickly with forbearance, gentleness, forgiveness and love.
Let us never allow our hearts to fill with hatred and resentment. Never! And we all know that what our dear Venezuela needs most right now is the love that All of us, each and every Venezuelan, can give to the person beside us.
To finish, here is something else I read a long time ago and came across again while writing this article: “Love encourages, hatred crushes; love smiles, hatred snarls; love attracts, hatred repels; love trusts, hatred suspects; love softens, hatred inflames; love sings, hatred frightens; love calms, hatred disturbs; love keeps silent, hatred shouts; love builds, hatred destroys; love sows, hatred uproots; love hopes, hatred despairs; love consoles, hatred exasperates; love soothes, hatred irritates; love clarifies, hatred confuses; love forgives, hatred schemes; love gives life, hatred kills; love is sweet, hatred is bitter; love is peaceful, hatred is explosive; love is truthful, hatred lies; love is full of light, hatred is full of darkness; love is humble, hatred is arrogant; love is meek, hatred is boastful; love is gentle, hatred is warlike; love is spiritual, hatred is carnal.”
Love is something sublime that can do all things. There is no difficulty, however great, that love cannot overcome. There is no illness, however serious, that love cannot heal, even if we are going to die, because then we die in Peace. There is no door, however tightly shut, that love cannot open. There is no distance, however extreme, that love cannot shorten by building bridges across it. There is no wall, however high, that love cannot bring down. There is no sin, however grave, that love cannot redeem.
No matter how serious a problem, how desperate a situation, how great a mistake, love has the power to overcome it all.
Whoever is capable of truly experiencing love can be the happiest and most powerful person in the world. To love… Always… In every act, in every thought, in every day that dawns, in every night that falls, always making of life an act of love toward others.
If All of us, each and every one, can achieve this in our beloved Venezuela, nothing bad will ever happen, and many whose hearts are full of hatred will be able to draw close to Love. Let us do our part, and we will see how happy we will be, and how happy we will make the lives of everyone around us.