Do not wonder if others are doing their best.

Just make sure that you are. 

One of the first things we do upon arising from sleep is to look in a mirror. Even if we don’t leave our home, we tend to tidy ourselves up. During the day, chancing upon a mirror, we run a quick check of our appearance. Before retiring, we look in the mirror to wash our face, brush our teeth, etc. So we look in the mirror every day.

But what do we see?

Another wrinkle, a nice smile, our mother’s eyes.

We see what’s on the outside. But when we look at others during the day, it’s a different matter altogether. After noting their physical appearances, we tend to zero in on their mistakes. Like eagles zeroing in on their hapless prey. The eagles need to eat; our examining of others is pointless.

Let’s imagine another kind of mirror: a cultivation mirror. By holding it up to look directly into it, we block our view of what others are doing. And with that crystal-like clarity, we now see what we are doing. Are we happy with what we see? Or grimacing at our irresponsible ways.