There is this quote by Pema Chodron, “There’s a practice I like called ‘Just like me.’ You go to a public place and sit there and look around. Traffic jams are very good for this. You zero in on one person and say to yourself things such as ‘Just like me, this person doesn’t want to feel uncomfortable. Just like me, this person loses it sometimes. Just like me, this person doesn’t want to be disliked. Just like me, this person wants to have friends and intimacy.”’

“We can’t presume to know exactly what someone else is feeling and thinking, but still we do know a lot about each other. We know that people want to be cared about and don’t want to be hated. We know that most of us are hard on ourselves, that we often get emotionally triggered, but that we want to be of help in some way. We know that, at the most basic level, every living being desires happiness and doesn’t want to suffer.”

But I say, let’s take this further.

Think of the concept of Namaste. There are many ways of expressing this concept, but one way is that the Light of Godlikeness in me recognizes the Light of Godlikeness in you. That is a beautiful thing. Let’s do it more often.

When we see someone, we can know that God made them every bit as wonderful as us, and vice versa. All the qualities and attributes of God that we express and value, they express and value too, by design.

We cannot pray for abundance or health or joy for ourselves, without including all mankind in those blessings. As we all do this more, we are all buoyed by those good thoughts, and helped onward, toward our best individual and collective manifestation.

Somewhere, someone is including you in their prayers for all good. Return the favor, and include them in yours.

Think of them the way God made them, upright, pure, positively contributing, and free. Think of them as their highest sense of self: radiant, rested, devoted to service, wise, compassionate, provided for, ageless, intelligent, patient, and glad. Or maybe see them as undaunted, convivial, energetic and fresh, strong, satisfied, generous, faithful, and kind.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Upholding the best, most fundamental, common ground spiritual expressions in each other is a great way to bring dividends to everyone far beyond what we’ll ever see. Also, refuse to assign downward tendencies to anyone, which you would not desire to invite upon yourself as well.

We are all in this heaven-on-earth project together, individually and collectively, reflecting God together. When we can see the light in each other –just like me– and by actively following the golden rule in our outlook toward others, we’ll not only discover sustainability and peace, but harmony, fruition, and yes, bliss!