231017 What I learned in my studies this morning 3

Things, they are changing.
It goes downhill, then goes up,
Then goes down again.

Today's Meditation(s):

The commandments were developed to control the population. They are rules for beneficial social cohesiveness, telling us how to limit our external behavior so we can minimize interpersonal friction.

They are a minimum we should do to live in (relative) harmony with our fellow humans. They are not instructions for being a good person, for living a good life.

To go there, as Tolstoy suggests, I must go further, beyond the minimum, beyond the baseline into the realm of positive action taken to deepen my understanding of those truths I can find.

Love others. Forgive. Be kind. Focus on what I can control. Be indifferent to things not within my power. Actively work to help others.

Other's opinions are not within my power.