Curtis Mayfield’s, Keep on Pushing, included the line I chose for the title of this piece. If we could all just approach our conflicts, our divisions, our desires to have our basic needs met – with just a little bit of soul, we would have greater and more lasting peace. Sure, we will have our differences but it is those differences that make us great – within our communities, in our nation, and in the world. The truth is that we are all created from, by, and through the same source. This source of life and love is what defines the nature our our world.

The great Buddhist teachers throughout the ages have shown us the truth or our interconnectedness – what Thich Nhat Hahn calls interbeing. We “inter-are.” Our egos want to take more than our share of earth’s resources and feel the need to deprive and denigrate others who we perceive as standing in the way of our greed. Our greed only leads to our suffering and the suffering of everyone else.

Let us reach out in peaceful dialogue with those who support keeping racists and greedy corporate and financial captains in power and show them the folly of suppressing the rights of others and feeding the egos of the powerful. Rather than stand and hold up a bible or other sacred scripture, let’s learn what the scriptures tell us about soulful and righteous living. Let’s keep the focus on peace, but keep on pushing at the same time. Right action stems from right mindfulness and right view. Let us start with peace and love in the soul.