Abundance or Scarcity? Love or Fear?

Know that fear is your worst enemy -
perhaps your only enemy.
- jlh

Life in abundance comes only through great love.
- Elbert Hubbard

Abundance or Scarcity? Love or Fear?

Most of the time, most people live their lives out of a sense of scarcity - the feeling that there isn't enough to go around, and that they have to fight other people for what there is.

A mentality of scarcity - of lack - is the natural consequence of viewing the world through eyes of fear. When one is fearful of the future, one develops a "bunker mentality" - hoarding what one has, and scheming, or even resorting to force, to attempt to get more - at the expense of others. When one views life through eyes of fear, there can be no generosity, love, or even mutual cooperation.

In contrast, when you view the world through eyes of love, the future becomes unlimited. Cooperation and generosity are natural expressions of love. A perspective of love generates confidence in the unlimited bounty of the universe.

Truly, there are only two ways to view the world: through eyes of love, or through eyes of fear. Most of us spend some of our time wearing one set of glasses, and some time wearing the other, but nonetheless, these are the two ways in which life can be seen.

In Your Personal Life

For myself, generosity - being a "Good Samaritan" - is a moral imperative. But, beyond that, love, cooperation and generosity simply work better than fear and a "bunker mentality" for several practical reasons.

1. Whatever happens in the "real" world, you will be much happier if you are confident rather than fearful. Happier if you love people and befriend them, rather than fearing them and distancing yourself. Happier if you work cooperatively with people, rather than competing against them.

2. Cooperation and generosity really do get better results than competition and hoarding. Help your co-worker finish a project; shovel your neighbor's driveway; share some of your wisdom with someone starting out in business. Try it. You will be surprised by how often the favor gets returned - and by the unexpected ways in which your gift is reciprocated.

3. I have no scientific proof for Karma, but in my own life it is very real. Do good, and good is returned. Do harm, and you will suffer.

In the World (caution, political opinion)

Even passing over the morality of caring for the young, the old, and the physically or mentally infirm, cooperation and generosity are good for a country. An economy is healthy only when money circulates, rather than being hoarded - either by corporations or by wealthy individuals.

The United States is currently suffering from a stagnation caused by a mentality of fear. When there are many people ready and able to work, and for whom there are no jobs, something is seriously wrong.

Forget microscopic analysis, and look at the BIG picture... During World War II, people pulled together and did what needed to be done. There was a job for everyone. It hasn't happened since.

We have bridges decaying, children unfed and unschooled, sick people left to die in pain. And at the same time, we say we don't have a job for everyone.

With all that work that truly needs to be done, and people ready to do that work, if we could only replace our national fear and "bunker mentality" with love, cooperation, and generosity, imagine what we could accomplish.

My fellow Americans:
ask not what your country can do for you -
ask what you can do for your country.
- John F. Kennedy