Life is unfair. And we are faced every day with a choice to act fairly anyway.

To be kind. To rise when others go low.

It isn’t easy to choose kindness over ugliness when we are triggered by past events that live in our hearts as if they are present day. And when we are put on trial for past transgressions, we have the option to think differently.

But how?

It starts with a peaceful heart. Even when events test us to react in ways we have in days gone by.

Einstein once said the definition of insanity is to do the same things over and over expecting a different result. And if we do not like the result, we have to look within ourselves to find a different way of doing things.

And sometimes the doing is in doing nothing at all. That is a particular challenge for someone such as myself who takes action where action is needed. To unlearn action-taking by being in inaction is difficult.

Yet the truth is we often speak the loudest when we are silent. When we pay no heed to those who grab for attention in the media every day. When our absence is felt more than our presence, we know it is time to move on.

As human beings, we are always moving forward even we are not moving at all. Our hearts push blood through our veins. Our lungs push oxygen through our blood. Our brains take in 11 million bits of information every minute while only 40 of them are conscious.

It seems in recent years our hearts and minds have been tested in new ways. We have been challenged by preposterous behaviors on both personal and political levels. We have been asked to be kind in the face of it all.

Indeed we each have a personal bank account of time. Will we waste it online, in argument, at war?

I dare say we shall not.

If you are struggling with moments of grief-stricken sadness about the national discourse or lack thereof, I say to you: We can move forward. We will move forward. It is the only place we are going.

We all end the same way. What we do until that day is up to us.

Let us rise. Let us embrace the highest selves we can be. And let us lift up those who have fallen so that we can all reach higher ground.

It starts with knowing life is unfair and choosing fairness anyway.