Dalai Lama’s New Year Message for the World given at the Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies’ 50th Anniversary in Sarnath, Varanasi, India on 1 January 2018.Dalai Lama’s New Year Message for World“All of us are travelers through the journey of time, including myself. We travel through time, months, weeks, day and so on. Today is 2018. The important thing is when you look back at beginning of 2019 to 2018, how would you think about the year that you have spent? Would you have a sense of contentment saying that I have lived that year well, I have served the purpose of that year or would you be looking back with a sense of regret for all the troubles that you have caused. So this is why it is important that when we begin the new year and look forward, we should project our intentions ahead so that we make this year a meaningful one. So that when we turn back to look at it, we can live our life with sense of happiness and joy.
In fact if an individual were to make conscious intention to live his or her life with sense of purpose, live it in a good way, the ripple effect of that really spreads. First from individual to family, then to community, to friends and neighbors and so on. This is how society gets changed and affected. Otherwise, when we talk about transformation of society, the transformation really has to start from individual, from inside to outward. Otherwise we would be expecting some kind of transformation coming from outside, from above. That is unrealistic.”
Act 3 
We surely mus pay more attention to people like this man.
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Great wisdom from the Dalai Lama. I like that ripple effect…showing love, kindness, and respect to our family and friends then blooms outward.
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I have been trying to explain this to the Grand Son but he doesn’t get “it”. Maybe saying it in these words will open his mind a little. A big concept for him to understand when I’m not even doing my best myself.
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I am never sure if I have a “sense of purpose”.
I lead an active and productive life. I try to take care of myself and my family. I give to my friendships and well as receive. I try to create beauty around me and stay well informed. I use up most of my days achieving something.
Is that purpose?
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I think it is rare that one feels a sense of purpose with absolute certainty but I would certainly think your list qualifies.
I have always wanted a sense of purpose but have struggled with accepting that that may not be something “big.” In the wisdom of accumulated years I can accept that nurturing others is what I do and that is enough in itself.
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