Nimo Patel (of Empty Hands Music) is one of my favorite singers! All his songs are great, I love both the tunes and his messages. You know how you may love the words of a song but not the tune or music? Or the other way around, you really like the tune or music but not the words or message? One example of a song I like the tune and music of but not the words is “Pumped up Kicks” I think it’s called. It’s so uplifting and will get you pumped…..until you realize it’s a song about gun violence! He’s like running through the school blowing away all the kids. I don’t have anything against people listening to it, it’s just not my cup of tea(i do listen to Alice Cooper’s twisted songs about killing and stuff, Alice gets away with it just because he’s Alice! Lol).

Anyway, I love every single one of Nimo Patel’s songs, both the tunes and the messages. Most of his songs are about universal love, loving everyone, friends, family, strangers no matter their views, ethnicity, lifestyles, about togetherness and being thankful for life and every single living being in it, insects, humans, everything. So beautiful! 

So today I want to share this incredible song, “To My People – Ode to Humanity.” I love it because “my people” are not just their own friends and family and community…but people everywhere, even strangers. It’s an ode to humanity. The singers are thankful for every single life, even those they never met. They acknowledge the goodness in everyone all around the world and give thanks. They encourage us to love our friends, our family, our acquaintances, our coworkers, everyone. 

This song resonates with me so deeply. I have always felt this way and sometimes I feel it deeper than other occasions. But I frequently feel that everyone is someone to me, even strangers. Every life matters to me. I can identify with everyone in some way, some more deeply than others. I think if we tune into our empathy and wisdom, we can all feel this way often. We can relate to one another through our basic humanness, even other species because members of other species (animals, insects) share our basic will, desire to live, to avoid suffering and gravitate towards pleasure and relief.  

“To my people yeh,
You’re my soul, you’re my roots 
Your’re my family, my life and my truth
To my people yeh,
Your everybody, every being, every life, every moment, everything
To my people yeh,
Your my God, you’re my soul,
You’re the one that pushes me to help me grow
To my people yeh, 
I bow down to your heart of gold” ~ Empty Hands 

Imagine a world full of not strangers but friends, family, acquaintances, even if we don’t know them, we have some sense of kinship with them. Everywhere we look, in crowded shopping malls, in cars around us, at work, in stores, in hospitals,….we see family, living beings who are all someone to us and have a place in our heart.  Imagine.

Wouldn’t that be beautiful? 

We all have a name, a life, a breath, goals, pleasure, pain, happiness, fears, loves, a desire to avoid suffering, and gravitate towards things that bring pleasure or relief. 

Underneath we are really quite similar.

We can practice feeling this more frequently and deeply by intentionally wishing the best for each person, each sentient being, we look at even if those people don’t know it. Even if just in our heads we can hope nothing but good for each person, animal, life we encounter. Each person we see on the streets, in cars, in stores, we can consciously, make it a point to think positive, pleasant things about those people. This can get our minds in the habit of loving everyone. I often feel this automatically without even trying but when I don’t feel it, I can make an intentional decision to wish each person the best. Not only is it just great to feel this, it can carry over into our actions, consciously or unconsciously. 

I am so thankful for every life I come across in some way, no matter how briefly, online and in person. Every encounter we have with someone can impact that person so let’s make it a positive encounter. Let’s smile and send out love and engage in acts of kindness.

I’m so thankful for Nimo Patel and those who can write and sing these messages I receive so deeply, so lovingly. They take the words right out of my mouth, my heart, my being.

So I dedicate this post to my people.

You, you, you, you, and you! All of you and everyone around the world.

I bow down to your heart of gold.

I appreciate your goodness, your beauty, your love, your kindness, your compassion, your smile….

I love you and wish you the best in everything you do, all the good intentions you have. 

I wish us all the best. It may seem like it doesn’t make sense because sometimes what’s best for one person may not be to someone else. What’s “best” for one may be the “worst” for someone else.For example two people going on a job interview and only one can get it. How can they both get the best? And what if someone wants to murder someone, that may seem best to the potential murderer but certainly not to the victim! The person who doesn’t get the job can still be at peace, still be happy and just try again. And the potential murderer can change and no longer hurt or try to hurt people.  When I wish the best for others, I don’t just mean in an external way but inside, inner peace and love and happiness. Some people argue that universal love cannot possibly work out in a practical sense even if it’s a beautiful concept. But that’s simply not true. When we wish others the best, we are referring to an inner experience whatever happens on the outside. 

Here is this wonderful song! 

To My People – Ode to Humanity – mobile

To My People – Ode to Humanity – desktop

Much love to you, 

😀

Xoxo Kim ❤ ❤