OTHER-MINDED

“An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic

concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity.” 

— Martin Luther King Jr. 

How often do you think about others? Not just other people you know, but other people in

general. When you sit to partake of a meal do you think of those who may be experiencing

food insecurity? When you lie down to sleep in the safety of your home, do you think of those

who are homeless? When you go about your daily activities, do you think about those who

with health challenges that limit their function? When you take your vacations, do you think of

those who are less fortunate? Most of all, do you think of how your actions affect others?

What our communities need now is more empathy and less apathy, more compassion and less

judgement, more collaboration, and less competition. What we need can only be accomplished

through the power of other-mindedness. Such a mindset is characterized by the

aforementioned values of empathy, compassion, and collaboration, and leads to a culture

characterized by equity and inclusion. When we seek to progress as a whole rather than as

individuals, we create a culture that is bigger than any one person or group.