Speak so that you are not just heard
but understood
See so that you don’t simply look
but observe
Hear so that you do not just listen
but comprehend
Touch so that you don’t just hit the surface
but feel
Taste so that you simply do not eat
but savour
Smell so that you do not just notice the scent
but allow the fragrance to engulf you
Feel so that you are not just aware
but are driven by empathy, by compassion
Criticize, not to spite
but to change for the better
Pick up a pursuit, not to fill the emptiness of time
but to raise it to a level of passion
Work not just to earn a livelihood
but to carve a niche, an identity of your own
Do, not just so to lead a life
but because you want to shape your destiny
Walk not just to cover the distance
but to leave footprints on your chosen path
Talk not just to add noise to the existing cacophony
but to leave an imprint of your words of wisdom
Leave an impression, not of power but value
Of not just awe but admiration
Sympathise not because it is good to do so
But because it is what you really want to do
Fall for very little
but stand up for a lot more
Act not because you want to be noticed
but because those actions define you
Uphold an ideal not because it holds a universal value
but because it forms part of your belief
Amass not just for the self alone
but to share your life with many
Live, not in an isolated, individualistic microcosm
But to bring in your unique meaning to the Universe.
(Picture courtesy - www.deviantart.com)
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