On the other side of you is
What’s the first sign of civilisation? Anthropologist Margaret Mead gave a surprising answer when asked this question. Her student expected inventions like fishhooks, clay pots, grinding stones. But Mead spoke of the femur, the thigh bone. She explained that no animal survives once this is broken. Yet ancient remains show healed femurs. This, Mead said, was the first evidence of civilisation – someone had stayed, bound wounds, carried the injured to safety, tended to recovery.
As Mead put it, “Helping someone through difficulty is where civilisation starts.” Service seeds society.
The world feels dark now. The chase for wealth, fame, wanton power broking. But how we care for the vulnerable shows our humanity. Here lays purpose. Legacy comes through compassion, through understanding, through listening – by your actions.
Darkness envelopes where we’ve absolved responsibility around us. The world feels dark, yet what’s on the other side of you? You, of course. You, uninterrupted.
Walk away from the oppressor, for the oppressor requires you to be the oppressed. Step out of the power game, for those holding onto power need you to play the role of the powerless. Leap full force into your Being, for those who need you to be small will steal your attention. Hold onto your will, for those who need you to behave require you to bend. Act from your heart, for those who need to have no mercy will create enemies of your brethren. Do the things that make you sing, for those who won’t hold open the door, require you to believe you can’t.
You’re swimming in privilege because you’re able to read this. There’s a girl, identity stolen, masked, hidden, suffocated by morality. There’s a boy, stifled, quashed, tasked, burdened by labour. There’s a world, access limited, bombarded by bombshells, inside and out.
You’re swimming in privilege, made to believe you can’t. You’re surrounded by doors of opportunity, made to believe there’s only one. You’re not too late to Be who you were born to be, made to believe you’re powerless.
As Carl Jung wrote, “The world’s salvation depends on the human heart.” Not leaders in positions we’ve relinquished, but in people’s small acts of service.
The world feels dark, sure. But darkness came as we stopped getting involved. The world seems impossible, money the root of evil. Yet money drives this system. Be your brilliant self, find what makes you money, let money bring the freedom to create change.
Education for the hungry. Tools for the sick. Love for outcasts. Opportunities for the voiceless. Conversations for the wounded. Solutions for burdened. Relief for the grieving. Each act of service renews civilisation.
Hardship can sow destruction or nurture rebirth. The choice is ours – fear or love. Darkness is driven out when light returns for hate. Violence ends when resilience wins over revenge.
Listen before fixing. Understand before judging. Heal wounds before systems. Have compassion, as we all struggle in our way.
You hold that healing light within. Its power awaits release. Your true self lies beyond the won’ts, cannots and shoulds. What would 1% more focus outward each day do? What problems might we solve by shining light rather than highlighting darkness?
Satisfaction comes not by avoiding dissatisfaction, but diving in – pearls emerge through friction. Comfort comes not from avoiding discomfort – but by doing for those who do not, willing for those who will not, being able for those who cannot. Your 1% begins change, no need to compete or compare.
Through service, you lift others yet rise higher yourself. Supporting the stumbling, your footing becomes stronger. Comforting the grieving, your laughter rings clear. Holding anger’s space, your peace deepens.
In binding humanity’s wounds, your potential unbinds. This is you, all of you, uninterrupted, as I’ve explored before.
Indeed, buy what you love – yet know opportunity’s door stays open longer, becomes more fruitful, the longer you hold it open for those who can’t grasp the handle.
When we lift those in need, opportunity multiplies. As Michelle Obama said, “When you walk through that open door, you don’t slam it behind you. You reach back and give others the same chances that helped you succeed.”
Purpose in service renews itself. Each time we bind wounds, carry burdens, feed the hungry, we open doors for others to walk through. Our compassion plants seeds for future harvests. The light we shine empowers and multiplies. In giving back and paying forward, civilisation marches upward.
In serving, you are served. In forgiving injustice, resentments heal. In being light, you see.
Go into darkness with all of you. Be the kindness that casts out cruelty. Offer your hand. Stand for the oppressed. Encourage the hopeless. Love the unloved.
In big and small ways, heal the breaks – in the world and your spirit. This ends the search. Civilisation begins when you lift the fallen and find yourself uplifted too.
When we lift the fallen, walk with the struggling, support the suffering, we save not just them but our humanity.
As Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said and did, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
Spread your light through small acts daily. Let your compassion uplift the weary. Face darkness with empathy and love, for you’re the Light and the Dark.
Here you find purpose. Here civilisation is reborn.
What will you do? Who will you be? How will you love? How will you live? How will you leave?
All of you, uninterrupted. That’s all. That’s everything.
Go forth. Build civilisation.
