For me, it is all about love and respect for all life - not just for human life. I see all life as ONE. To become one with all life - to love unconditionally - this is my aim in life. When we have learned to truly love unconditionally, everything else falls into place.
This is one of the toughest lessons I have ever had to learn - and I am by no means there yet! But if I could share something that I realised, through reading the books of the Dalai Lama and Thich N. Hanh, who have bot known an immeasurable amount of wrong-doing against them...
Knowing and achieving Universal Compassion, and Unconditional Love in your heart, does not mean that you have to accept everything and leave your guard down. HH the DL has infinite Compassion for the Chinese... But he refuses their invitations to tea.... He once said that to Love unconditionaly did not always mean 'Liking'... you don't have to like someone to love them... And it doesn't mean you have to give them "house-room"... It means simply recognising that their Humanity is absolutely completely identical to your own.
All anyone ever really wants is to be Understood, Appreciated and Loved. And if we could just try to understand that no matter who, and no matter what, everyone is looking for the same thing - peace in their lives and serenity in their hearts - it becomes easier to extend feelings of Love and Compassion towards others.
Difficult when being cut up through Road rage, or when a shop assistant is foul-mouthed, I know. But always true, nevertheless.
