LoveEachOtherbyLevTolstoy
Iwouldlike,beforeIgo,(asinmyageeverymeetingwithpeopleisa farewell)brieflytellyouhow,inmyunderstanding,peopleshouldlive,so thatourlifewouldnotbeanevilandgriefasitseemstothemostpeople now,butitwouldbewhatGodwantsandwhatweallwant,thatisablessing andjoy,whichitshouldbe.
It’sallabouthowapersonunderstandshislife.Ifyouunderstanditaslife giventomeinthebodyofmine,ofJohn,Peter,Marie,andthewhole purposeoflifeistogetasmuchaspossibleofanykindofenjoyments, pleasures,happinesstothis“I”,John,Peter,Marie,sothelifewillalwaysbe foreveryoneunhappyandhostile.
Thelifewillbeunhappyandhostilebecauseeverythingyouwantfor yourselfanotherpersonwants.Andsinceeveryonewantsthebestof everythingforyourselfasmuchaspossibleandthat“best”isthesameforall thesepeople,thenthis“best”isneverenoughforall.Therefore,ifpeoplelive everyoneforhimself,theycannotavoidtakingawayfromeachother, fighting,gettingmadateachother,andsotheirlifecannotbehappy.Even whenattimespeoplegetwhattheywant,thenthisisalwaysnotenoughfor themandtheytrytogetmoreandmore.Besides,theyareafraidthatwhat they’vegotcanbetakenawayfromthem,andtheyarejealousofthosewho gotsomethingtheydon’thave.
Soifpeopleperceivethemeaningoftheirlivesinservingeachownbody, thenthelivesofthesepeoplecan’tnottobeunhappy.Andthat’swhatlifeis forallthesepeoplenow.Butlifedoesn’thavetobethis,i.e.unfortunate.Life isgiventousasablessing,andthat’showweallunderstandit.Butforlifeto besuch,peopleneedtounderstandthatourreallifeisnotinourbody,butin thatspiritwhichlivesinourbody,andourhappinessisnottopleaseanddo whatthebodywants,butrathertodowhatthatspiritwantswhichlivesinus aswellasinallpeople.Thisspiritwantstobenefititself,thespirit.And becausethisspiritisthesameinallpeople,thenitwantstheblessingsforall people.Towishthesamebenefitstoallpeoplemeanstolovepeople.Andno
oneornothingcanpreventonefromlovingpeople;andthemoreaperson lovesthemorefreeandhappyhislifebecomes.
Soithappensthat,nomatterhowhardamantries,heisunabletosatisfythe body,becauseitisnotalwayspossibletoobtainwhatthebodyneeds,andif hedecidestogetit,thenonehastocompetewithotherpeople.Butmancan alwayssatisfythesoul,becausethesoulneedsonlyloveandtolovethere’s noneedtofightanyone,butonthecontrary,themoreyoulove,themoreyou getdrawntogetherwithotherpeople.Sonothingcanstandonthewayof love,andthemoreapersonloves,thehappierandmorejoyfulhebecomes notonlyhimself,butalsohemakesotherpeoplehappierandmorejoyful.
Sothisiswhat,mydearestbrothers,IwantedtotellyoubeforeIgo,totell youwhatallholyandwisepeopleandChristtaughtyou,namely,thatourlife becomeunhappybecauseofourselves.Andthattheforcewhichsentusinto thislifeandwhichwecallGod,sentusisnottosufferbuttohavethesame blessingwhichwealldesire.Andthatwedon’tgetthis,intendedforus, blessingonlyifweperceiveourlifenotasitshould’vebeenperceived,andif wedon’tdowhatweshould’vedone.
Whenwecomplainaboutlife,sayingthatourlifeispoorlydesigned,-we don’trealizeit’snotthatourlifeisbadlydesignedbutthatwedon’tdowhat isneeded.Andit’sjustasifadrunkardbegantocomplainthathebecamea drunkardbecausemanyrestaurantsandpubsarearound,whilethesemany restaurantsandtavernsarearoundjustbecausemanyofdrunkardslikehim haveappeared.
Thelifeisgiventopeopleasablessing,ifonlytheyuseditastheyshould have.Ifonlypeoplelivednotinhatetowardeachother,butinlove,thelife wouldbeperpetualblessingforall.
Noweverybody,fromallsides,saysthesamething:“Ourlife,”theysay,“is foolishandunhappybecauseit’sbadlyarranged,-let’sre-dothebad arrangementtogood,andourlifewillbegood.
Dearbrothers,donotbelievethis,don’tbelievethatyourlifecanbebetteror worsedependingonthisorthatarrangement.Nottomentionthefactthatall
thosepeoplewhocareaboutthestructureofabetterlife,-alldisagreeamong themselves,allarguewitheachother:someofferonearrangement consideringitthebest,otherssaythatthisarrangementisthemosteviland onlythatwhattheyofferisgood.Andstillthirdonesblameallthatandoffer theirownbestandsoon.Butevenifsuchbeststructureexisted,-evenifwe wouldcomeupwithsomebestarrangement,howtomakesurethatpeople willfollowthisarrangement,howtokeepthisgoodarrangementwhen peopleusedtoandlovetolivebadly?Becausewearenowgotusedtoand lovetolivebadly,sothatwhateverwetouchwespoil,butwe’resayingthat wewilllivegoodwhenthearrangementwillbegood.Thenwhatisapointof agoodarrangementwhenpeoplearebad?
Soifthereissuchbeststructureoflife,theninordertoachieveit,people needtobecomebetter.Instead,theypromiseyouagoodlifeafteryou,in additiontoyourbadlife,willfightwithpeople,rapepeople,evenkillthem, toestablishthat“good”structure;thatistheypromiseyouagoodlifeafter youwillbecomeevenworsethanyouarenow.
Donotbelieve,donotbelievethis,dearbrothers!Forourlifetobegood, there’sonlyoneremedy:forpeoplethemselvestobebetter.Andwhen peoplebecomebetter,thenthelifewillre-arrangeitselfintothatwhatlife mustbeamonggoodpeople.
Along-timedeceptioncloudspeople’sminds–afalsebeliefthatagood arrangementcanleadbadpeopletoagoodlife(asifit’dbepossibletomake goodbreadoutofrottengrains),andthisdeceptionhasalreadydoneand continuestodoalotofharmtopeople.Initially,onlyrulersranwiththis deception.Theytried(oratleasttoldso)andnowtryingthroughvarious formsofviolence-removalofproperty,sentencing,executions–tomake goodandpeacefulsocietyoutofunkindpeople.Nowrevolutionariesare tryingtodothesame.Dearbrothers,don’tfallforthisdeception.Letthe rulers,kings,ministers,guards,officersdotheirevilworks;butasyouwere cleanfromthat,sotrytostayclean.Likewise,trytostayawayfromany involvementinviolence,towhichrevolutionariescallyou.
Thesalvationofyouandallpeopleisnotinsinfulviolentactsofre-
arrangementoflife,butinanarrangementofyoursoul.Onlybythe arrangementofyoursoul,eachpersonwillgainforhimselfandforother peoplethegreatestbenefitsandwillmakethebestarrangementoflifethat peoplecanonlywishfor.Thetrueblessingisthatwhicheveryhumanheart issearching,giventousisnotinthefuturelifearrangementmaintainedby violence,butnow,giventoallofus,everywhere,ineveryminuteoflifeand evendeath,achievedthroughlove.
Thisblessingisgiventousfrometernity;butpeopledidn’tunderstanditand didn’tuseit.Nowtimehascomewhenwecan’tnottoacceptitanylonger, ascan’tnottoaccept1)becauseofthecrueltiesandsufferingsofourlives havebroughtustothepointthatourlifebecomesunbearablypainful;2)the trueteachingsofChrist,moreandmorerevealingitself,nowbecamesoclear thatwecan’tnottorecognizeandacceptitforoursalvation.Oursalvationis nowinone:inrecognitionthatourtruelifeisnotinourbody,butinthespirit ofGodwhodwellsinus,and,therefore,thatalltheeffortsthatweputearlier toimproveourcarnallife,privateandpublic,wecanandmustputonthat single,theonlynecessaryandimportantforahumanmatter,-whichfor everyoneistoraiseandassertloveinhimself,notonlytowardthosewho loveus,but,asChristsaid,toallpeople,andespeciallytostrangersandto peoplewhohateus.
Rightnowourlifeissofarfromthis,soatfirstsightsuchchangeofallof ourefforts,-fromcaringaboutworldlymatterstowardthatinvisible,unusual matter-forustoloveallpeople-seemsimpossible.
Butitonlyseemsthatway:loveforallpeople,evenforhatingus,ismuch morenaturaltothehumansoulthanfightwithclosedonesandhatredtoward them.Thechangeinunderstandingofthemeaningoflifenotonlyisn’t impossiblenowadays,but,onthecontrary,thecontinuationofthatlifein whichallalienatedagainstall,whichweleadnow,becameimpossible.Not onlydoesthischangeisn’timpossible,but,onthecontrary,onlyitcanget peopleoutofthosetragediesfromwhichtheysuffer,andthereforethis changeisinevitablyshouldhappensoonerorlater.
Dearbrothers,why,forwhatdoyoutortureyourself?Justunderstandthat
youaregiventhegreatestblessing,sotakeit.Allisinyou.It’ssoeasy,so simpleandsoenjoyable.But,maybe,peoplewhoaresuffering,thepoor,the oppressed,willsay:“Yes,itmightbegoodforrichandpowerful;it’seasy forrichandpowerfultoloveenemies,whentheirenemiesareattheirmercy. Butitisdifficultforus,sufferingandoppressed“.Butthisisnottrue.Dear brothers,tochangeyourperceptionoflifeisequallynecessaryasforthe powerfulandrich,soasfortheoppressedandpoor.Andit’seveneasierfor theoppressedandpoorthanfortherich.Theoppressedandpoorneed, withoutchangingtheirstatus,notonlynottodoanythingthatcontradictsthe love,butalsonottotakepartinsuchaffairsasofviolence,ofpoliceofficers, oftroops,-andallofthishostiletolovearrangementwilldropitself.Butto therichandpowerful-it’smuchmoredifficulttoacceptandexecutethe teachingsoflove.Inordertofulfilltheserequirements,theymustabandon possessingthemtemptationsofpower,wealth;andit’sharderforthem;while forthepoorandoppressedit’sjustenoughtoavoidnewactsofviolenceand, mostimportantly,nottotakepartintheoldones.
Asapersongrows,soasthehumanity.Consciousnessoflovegrew,is growinginhumanityandhavegrownupnowadaystothelevelthatwecan’t nottoseethatitshouldsaveusandformthebasisforourlives.Afterall, whatishappeningnow–arejustthelastconvulsionsofadyingviolent, vicious,unlovinglife.
Indeed,nowitcan’tbeunclearthatallofthesestruggles,allthehatred,all theseviolentarrangements,defenseofauthorities,countriesofdifferent peoples,-allofthesearepointless,notleadingtoanythingexceptthe increasingdisasters,deceptions.Anditcan’tbenotclearthatsingleandthe mostsimpleandeasyrecoveryfromallthisisrecognitionofthechiefSource ofallpeople’slife–love–thatSourcewhichinevitably,withoutanyefforts, replacesthegreatestevilwiththegreatestblessing.
ThereisalegendthattheapostleJohn,whenhereacheddeepoldage,was absorbedbyonefeelingandexpresseditwiththesamewords,sayingonly: “Children,loveeachother.”That’showhisoldage,thatisthelifeofone manreachingitsknownlimit,hasexpresseditself.Exactlythesamethelife ofhumanity,whenit’llreachacertainlimit,mustexpressitself.
It’ssosimple,soclear:youlive,thatisyou’reborn,yougrow,getmatured, getolderandthenyouareabouttodie.Canthepurposeofyourlifebein yourself?–Probablynot.Whatthen,amanaskshimself,whatamI?-And theansweristhefollowing:“Iamsomethingthatisloving”–butatfirstI seemedtoloveonlymyself,andafterlivingalittlelongerandthinkinga littlemore,Iseenopointinlovingmyself,passingthroughlife,dying.YetI feelthatImustloveandsoIlovemyself.ButwhenIlovejustmyself,Ican’t helpbutfeelthatthesubjectisnotworthyofmylove;butIcan’tnottolove. Mylifeisinlove.What’sthesolution?Toloveothers,-family,friends, lovingpeople.Atfirst,itseemslikethisonemeetstherequirementsoflove, butallthesepeople,1)areimperfect,2)theyarechangingand,mainly,are dying.SowhatshouldIlove?Andtheansweristheonlyone:love everybody,lovetheSourceofthelove,lovethelove,lovetheGod.Loveis notforsomeoneyoulove,notforyourself,butfortheloveitself.Itisworth understanding,andimmediatelyallevilgetsdestroyedfromhumanlifeand themeaningofitbecomesclearandjoyful.
“Yes, it would be good. What can be better?” –tellpeople.– “It’d be good to love and to live for love, if everyone would live this way. But if I will live for love, will be giving everything to another, while others will live for themselves, for their own bodies - what will happen with me and not only with me, but with my family, with those whom I love and I can’t not to love.”
“Talks about love we hear from long ago, yet nobody follows them. And they are impossible to follow. Give my life for love would only be possible when all people, somehow miraculously at once, would change their lives from the worldly, physical to spiritual, godly life. But there are no miracles, and therefore these are just words and not practical“.That’swhatpeoplesay, soothingthemselvesintheirfalselifetheygotusedto.Theysaythis,but deepdowntheyknowtheyarewrong.Theyknowthatthisreasoningis incorrect.It’swrongbecauseforthebenefitofthemundanecarnallifeall peopleneedtochangetheirlivesallatonce;butnotforthespirituallife:not forlove,forlovetowardGodandpeople.Lovegivessuchblessingtoa personnotinitsconsequences,butintheloveitself,itgiveshimtheblessing independentlyfromwhatotherpeopledo,andfromwhattakesplaceinthe outsideworld.Lovegivestheblessinginthewaythatthelovingperson connectswithGodandnotonlywishesnothingforhimself,butiswillingto
giveallhehasandhislifetoothers,andinthisgivinghimselftoGodfinds hisblessing.And,therefore,whatotherpeopledo,whatishappeninginthe world,can’thaveaneffectonhisactions.TolovemeanstosurrendertoGod, todowhatGodwants.AndbecauseGodislove,Godwantstobless everyone,andthereforecan’twishforapersonperformingHislawtodie.
Lovingperson,evenbeingaloneamongtheunloving,doesnotperish.Andif theydieamongthepeople,asChristdiedonthecross,thenhisdeath-both happyforhimandmeaningfulforothers,isnotdesperateormiserable, unlikethedeathsoftheworldlypeople.
SoanexcusethatIdon’tdevotemyselftolovebecausenoteverybodywill dothesameandIwillremainalone,-iswrongandisnotgood.Thisisthe sameasifapersonwhoneedstoworktofeedhimselfandhischildren, wouldhesitatetoworkbecauseothersdon’twork.
Yes,dearbrothers,let’sfocusourlivesinstrengtheningloveinourselvesand allowtheworldgoasitwill,i.e.asitisdefinedtoitfromtheabove.Let’sdo this,andbelieveme,thatwewillgetthegreatestblessingforourselves,and we’lldotootherpeopleallthegoodnesswhichweonlyareableto accomplish.
It’ssosimple,soeasyandsojoyful.Everyone,justlove,lovenotonlythe loving,butallpeople,especiallythosehating,asChristtaught,andthelife willbecomeanincessantjoy,andalltheproblems–whichthelostpeopleare tryingsovainlytoresolvebytheviolence-notonlygetsolved,butceaseto exist.“And we know that we have passed from death to life, if we love the brethren. Not loving brother does not have life eternal. Only loving his brother has eternal life, dwelling in him“ .
Onemoreword,dearbrothers.Youcan’tknowforcertainwhetherathingis goodorbadifyoudidn’texperienceitinreallife.Ifafarmeristoldthatit’s goodtosowryebyrows,orbeekeeper-thatit’sgoodtobuildhiveswith frames,thenathoughtfulfarmerandabeekeeper,toknowconfidently whetherthatwastruthwhathewastold,willmakeanexperimenttocheck whetherheshouldorshouldnotfollowwhathewassuggested,dependingon
whatconfirmationhewillfindinhisownexperience.
Itisthesameinthebusinessoflife.Inordertofindoutforcertainhowthese teachingsonloveareapplicabletothereallife,givethematry.
Trythis:forsomeperiodoftime,decideineverythingyoudotofollowthe requirementsoflove:toliveinawaysothatineverything,firstand foremost,you’drememberwithanyman,athief,adrunkard,arudemanager orsubordinates,nottoretreatfromlove,thatis,indealingwiththatperson, rememberaboutwhatheneeds,notaboutyourself.Andhavinglivedthis wayforawhile,askyourself:wasithardforyouandwhetheryou’vespoiled orimprovedyourlifeand,judgingbywhatyourexperiencewilltellyou, decidewhetheritwastruethatthefulfillingthelovegivesthelifeblessing, orthat’sjustwords.Experienceit,tryinsteadofrepayingevilwitheviltoa bully,andinsteadofbehindsomebody’sbackcondemningthehumanwho liveswrongfully,etc.,-instead,trytorespondwithgoodtoevil,andtosay nothingbadaboutaperson,andtobenotroughevenwithanimals,adog,but withkindnessandwithtenderness.Andlivethatwayaday,twoormore(to gainanexperience)andcompareyourmentalstateduringthistimewithwhat youhadbefore.Tryit,andyou’llseehowinsteadofgloomy,angryand debilitatingfeelingsyouwillfeelbright,cheerful,andjoyful.Andlivethis waythesecondandthethirdweek,andyou’llseehowsincereyourjoywill growandgrow,andthisnotonlywon’thurtyourbusiness,butitwill improveitmoreandmore.
Justtryit,dearbrothers,andyou’llseethatthepracticeofloveisnotjust words–butthemostnaturalandlogicaltoeverybodyandimportantmatter.