Author Kurt Vonnegut once said that what made being alive almost worthwhile for him was the saints he met in all walks of life. He was referring to those people who behave decently in an indecent society. I reflected upon this thought, and immediately felt discomfort at the many aspects of our society that are, indeed, indecent. A society based on consumerism, one that does not honor, nearly enough, Earth and her resources, one that allows the exploitation of the less powerful…cannot deny its indecent aspects.

Few of us would consider ourselves saintly, yet I am always deeply touched to be the recipient of, or an observer of an unselfish act of kindness or compassion. For some, such acts seem to be second nature: the ones who stop to help a motorist in distress, who run to assist someone who has fallen on the ice, and insist on driving them home, who will volunteer, give of their time, and anticipate the needs of others. These are people who can forget about their busy schedule, where they were going or what they had planned, if a fellow human is in need. These are the ones who know this truth: in the end, the only significant statistic will be how we treated those we met along the path.

It is so easy to get caught up in the story that is our life, and to forget about all the other people out there. Yet, every single one is a fellow traveler on our journey through life. They may be disguised as strangers, foreigners in different lands, members of diverse cultures. They may appear as toddlers, teenagers or seniors, they may be healthy or ill, wealthy or poor, educated or not. Behind the windows that are their eyes, is a soul that knows no age or status. 

If we are on this earth at the same time, we are all in the same ‘class’. We each contribute to the collective experience we are sharing. Every act of compassion improves our collective climate. Even thinking compassionately makes a difference. Withholding judgment, criticism, blame and negative talk prevents toxic emissions from leaking into the collective energy field. That seems pretty decent. Really listening to what others are wanting us to hear and making sincere connections, rather than polarizing or trivializing, feels like a decent thing to do.

Maybe it is also about taking the time to care; showing our caring. What if every time we said, “How are you?”, or “How’s it going?” we looked into the eyes of the person, and communicated that we really wanted to know? How much healthier our society would be if we all truly did care about one another. When people lived in tribes, they all watched out for one another. Now that our communities are so big – both geographically and electronically- the warmth of human connection and caring is often lost. Hallmark and e-cards can say it, but nothing can match the energy exchange that happens with eye contact, a smile and the human touch.

Yes, there are those among us who surely are saints. Maybe when one has enough decency to his or her credit, saintliness evolves. In the meantime, saying we are not saints, after all, cannot be an excuse for indecency. We are accountable to ourselves, and maybe to all others, when the day comes for a big debriefing on the other side of the veil. Moreover, if enough of us choose decency, every day, and in every action, that will surely be reflected in our society.