What does compassion smell like?

We know that there is only change. We look back at history and evolution and are astounded by the radical transformations that have brought us to this moment - from clans of hunter-gathers to farming settlements to cities and empires to a single planetary ecology. And, we are all visionaries. Our visions are either hopeful, despairing or boring. How we use our imaginations, not just our intellects, is a powerful force in creating the future. If we are indeed able to avoid dystopia, what are our best hopes and dreams for the future of life on Earth? What might a compassionate civilization look, sound, feel, taste and smell like?

When I walk around in a hoped for future, I see smiles, hear laughter, feel warmth, taste gratitude and smell possibility. I see art everywhere and groups of people sharing ideas and stories. I hear someone acknowledging a challenging experience a stranger is having in a way that honors them. People stop to tell me that they feel happy to be alive. People are enjoying the fascinating tastes of healthy food from different cultures. I smell really, really fresh air.  

I see the headline “CEOs Agree Tenfold Is Fair” marking a new policy that a company’s highest salary will be no more than ten times that of the lowest. I hear people talking to each other about their observations, art practices, crafts, gardens, reflections, poetry, inventions, commitments and spiritual practices. People feel at ease with others from very different backgrounds and lifestyles. People taste oneness and smell compassion.

What about you? When you close your eyes and visualize a hoped for future, what pops up? What is going on in a new compassionate culture, family structure, economy, political process, health system, educational structure and ecosystem? Enjoy, then let the warmth of your vision flow into your life and work.