Don't be institutionalized

It's amazing how people can be trapped in their own bubble and become oblivious to the situation of the world around them. However, to be people who make a significant impact on the world, we cannot fall into this trap.
Regardless of what social circles, organization groups, or affiliations we may be a part of, we should never lose touch with the larger scheme of things that will ultimately sway the direction of whatever smaller groups we may cherish by it's prominence.
For example, political parties often quarrel with each other in attempts to gain the upper hand over the other. But they should not, as they often seem to, forget the larger purpose of serving the best interest of the nation.
Let us not be institutionalized but be always keep a broader perspective as residents of a diverse and grand world.

Becoming better than our parents

Every generation looks to their children as the future, and they have hope to create a better world for their children than what they were given. However, the most significant gift parents can give to their children is to guide them to be even better in terms of character than they themselves could be.

Would a parent be jealous if his son was recognized more than himself for being a man of virtue and integrity? Just the opposite - the parent would be proud of his son as an extension of himself. So as children strive to be better than our parents, it is not at all an issue of contention, but rather a way to honor and uplift our parents by developing a more noble legacy that they can also take part in.

A life of meaning

Everyone wants to live a purposeful and fruitful life. Yet how many people lead their lives into situations that are far from purposeful? With reflection, we realize there are many challenges and pitfalls on the 'straight and narrow path'. 

How can we fortify our resolve and sincerity towards our lofty aspirations? We must train ourselves constantly to be aware of and avoid the pitfalls that lead us astray, while also challenging our own concepts and self-imposed limitations to see our true potential. 

The reality is that we struggle to face our internal dynamic honestly. That is why at times we should go to a training ground designed to reflect our internal state so we can see ourselves without pretensions. Nature is a great setting for this type of reflection, because nature does not lie. If you are hiking a mountain and you fall off a cliff, you will die. If you are short-sighted and eat all your food on the first day of a 7-day hike, you will feel the consequence. If you arrogantly think you can cross a river on a slippery log carelessly, you may fall and get soaked. These are lessons that can help us reflect on our internal state and overcome our limitations for the sake of purifying ourselves of ways of thinking that limit us. 

Being consistent in spite of feelings

As much as we may try to avoid it, different feelings come to us throughout each day - most of which we did not particularly seek for or expect. For example, say you're walking outside on a sunny day and a bird poops on  your head. It is natural to feel upset. However, at that moment we have a choice. We can either get stuck in the feeling of being upset or we can focus our thoughts in a more positive direction. To do this, it helps to always remember your life goals and purpose so that you have a general 'positive track' to orient your mind on when different feelings come to us.

Honestly, we don't have much control over our feelings, but when situations bring certain feelings to us, we have to choice to take a deep breath, refocus our thoughts, and make the actions we can to keep us out of the trap of a negative or unproductive feeling.

Respect

Respecting others is an elementary concept yet it is extremely significant. The saying does go, 'All I ever needed to know I learned in kindergarten', right?

Showing respect means recognizing the value of another person as part of our common humanity. As members of the human race our value for each other comes from our acknowledgement that we share in our Creator's love and are the result of His investment.

Not only do we respect others, but with the same perspective of seeing value in others, we also invest in others to uplift them. This perspective allows us to bring out dignity and nobility in others and in ourselves

Love means investment

There are many concepts of love. People say they love someone or something, but what do they mean?

I would like to propose that love is the result of investment. If you invest yourself in someone or something, that means you love him/her/it. 

Without investing ourselves in someone, can we really say we love them? It is probably more likely that we like something about them because it benefits or pleases us. But I would not consider that a genuine form of love. 

Appreciating our heritage

Often times when we become successful, we fail to recognize those who paved the path for us. However, every endeavor since the beginning of human history has been on the foundation of those who previously paved the path. Ultimately, this line of appreciation should extend to the Creator of the Universe, regardless of what you may call Him by, for He laid the foundation for human existence and prosperity in the first place.

In light of this, we should never be so arrogant as to claim any successes we may achieve in life as purely our own to claim.

Also, in challenging times, we can think of future generations that will appreciate our persistence in surmounting the challenges of our day for the benefit of our posterity.