Building Strong Communities based on Love and Nonviolence in Today’s World
Building Strong Communities based on Love and Nonviolence in Today’s World
– Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi, Father of Nation (1869 – 1948)
During his time, Gandhi was the leader of tremendous social change in the face of gross injustices. His philosophy was firmly grounded on principles of truth and nonviolence. Waging war and using violent means to achieve an end only result in the destruction of communities as well as ourselves. In his quest to build an ideal community, Gandhi used positive means to bring about great social change. Concepts of love, trust, and nonviolence should be the basis upon which we form bonds with our fellow neighbors, colleagues, friends, and family.
In today’s world, the concepts of social justice and inequality are far from the minds of many of us. Our day to day lives revolve around the tasks we must complete before day’s end, and none of these include reaching out beyond our self-made borders. We do not think about our neighbors except for when their dog barks too loudly or their trash wanders into your yard. The sense of community and importance of building relationships with our neighbors, be it those in your community, city, state, or country, is lost on us. We must return to the idea that protective bonds and relationships can serve us in many ways. In respecting one another, we move from polite strangers to people truly concerned about the welfare of others. In viewing each other from lens of a friend rather than a combative stranger, we move towards a world where kindness, understanding, and respect are a means to an end.
In today’s world, we may not face injustice in the same way as those before us did. It is not as glaring, though it does exist. We must be more aware of the world around us, and we must look to self-examination to ensure Gandhi’s philosophy lives on. We must reach out to those around us to ensure that we create strong, inclusive communities. It is within these protective walls that we must teach our children the importance of love, trust, and cooperation.
In today’s world, nonviolence, love, and trust are more important than ever. Keep the philosophy of Gandhi alive, not only to honor this great man, but also to honor those around you.
