"Love all. Trust a few. Do wrong to none." ~Shakespeare

Such a statement to live by seems so impossible. If humans could actually act in this manner, would we reach some utopian like society? Surely by loving all and doing wrong to none, the crimes against our brethren would cease to occur. But are humans actually capable of doing this? Are we capable of loving all and doing wrong to none? Or is it inherent in our genetic make up to act out against those who have wronged us? Is it instinctual for humans to seek out vengeance? To not turn the other cheek upon being struck but rather to seek an eye for an eye.

I would like to believe that it is possible for mankind to move toward loving all and doing wrong to none. However, if this has been the goal since the creation of man, it has become apparent that we are incredibly slow learners. Our bodies have managed to evolve while our spirits remain stunted in growth. For millions of years, humans have performed wrongs against one another as well as nature. And what have such actions gotten us? Nothing. So why don’t we try a new approach? Because we are slow learners. We like to think ourselves impervious to the destruction we create around us but it catches up with us. Our wrong deeds to the planet are quickly catching up to us. Just as individual wrong deeds toward others will multiple tenfold and boomerang to the individual which originated such actions.

In the last few weeks, I have been thinking a great deal about this quote. I realize that while I consider myself to be a good person, I have had my moments where I have strayed. I have strayed from turning the other cheek and I, myself, have sought vengeance for what I perceived to be wrong doings against me. However, I really would like to aim to "love all, trust a few, do wrong to none." I currently do have a handful of people that I trust implicitly. Like a pendulum when meeting someone new, I generally oscillate between trusting no one and being very trusting. I’ve often referred to myself as being a realist but optimist. I like to believe people are generally good and can be trusted. However, at the same time, I realize evil is out there and certain individuals are likely to take advantage of a trusting nature. Unfortunately, these people do not reside out in the open. They do not have a scarlet letter blistered into their foreheads. Instead, they are wolves in sheep’s clothing. For these people, our animal instincts are needed to protect us—as those individuals are surely not willing to practice loving all and doing wrong to none. However, while our animal instincts are needed to warn us of approaching predators, we must silence those same instincts should we fail to protect ourselves and are wronged. For those wolves will eventually be rewarded for their actions but vengeance does not need to be sought by our own hands.

I hope to begin to live in such a manner. I want to love all, trust a few and do wrong to none. While I’m uncertain if I will be able to succeed 100 percent of the time, I believe such a goal is worth striving toward. I also believe that should I be able to reach this goal, I will be more at peace with myself and the world around me than ever before.