Tolerance; the Root of Humanity | International Day for Tolerance 2021

Tolerance; the Root of Humanity

Empathy, love, care, support, and other virtues like these make the world beautiful. Yet, it is also true that no one would become able to express these virtues freely if there is a lack of tolerance all around.

In the present world, everyone is in haste. Unfortunately, this hastiness and lack of sympathy towards fellow people are breeding intolerance in society. However, for a healthy and peaceful society, no one should ignore the significance of tolerance; it doesn’t matter how busy the world gets.

Tolerance shows how ‘valuable’ humans actually are. It plays a crucial role in every stage of a person’s life be it during childhood, adolescence, or adulthood. Being tolerant makes life fruitful. And when you understand the deeper meaning of tolerance, you’ll realize its real importance.

The Deeper Meaning of Tolerance

Man is nothing but an amalgamation of complex feelings. Tolerance means the ability to understand and respect others’ feelings in spite of disagreements. A tolerant person therefore is a kind person. He listens to others’ opinions patiently and tries to comprehend their point of view. Such people also express their ideas without any stress or conflict while showing empathy towards the fellow person.

Tolerance or open-mindedness thus means humbly accepting others’ views. There is no question of any conflict thereby maintaining the tranquility of the place. This profound peace, moreover, solves many problems and infuses relationship values in people. Needless to say, such open-minded people build a healthy and effective relationship with everyone.

This makes tolerance an indispensable life value helping people to live together peacefully. And nothing in life is more important than peace!

Tolerance as a Moral Duty

Further, ours is a land of diverse cultures. A rich variety of people and myriad forms of expression coexist here. Tolerance is all about respecting them all. It is a moral duty of everybody that paves the way to uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms of fellow human beings.

In India, and anywhere in the world, people are naturally diverse. Only open-mindedness can ensure the survival all peacefully. Therefore, ways should be devised for proper education for inculcating the value of acceptance. It must aim at countering negative influences that lead to fear and exclusion of ‘others’.

Young people should come forward in large numbers to develop capacities for fair judgment, critical thinking and ethical reasoning. The diversity of our land must not be a reason for conflict. It must be preserved as a treasure that enriches the beauty of the earth.

Becoming Tolerant Through Meditation

Also understand that as you continue to practise meditation regularly, your tolerance to stress, and challenging situations grow. Apart from this, meditation also enables you to clear your mind of the negative thoughts. It makes you more resilient and patient with diverse cultures and people as well.

The meditating people choose to be happy and balanced who prefers to live with compassion and tolerance. They notice any disagreement with others and work to tackle it instantly. Even in any conflicting situation, they sail along with appreciation, inner-peace, and patience.

Thus, try to always be grateful to everyone around you, appreciate diverse cultures in your country and give respect to wide-ranging lifestyles with a meditative heart. You’ll feel a profound inner calm and live peacefully and happily with others making the world even more beautiful.