I remember attending a presentation by the Dali Lama. It was a great crowd, with many thousands of people. Somehow, he helped us all feel as though we were relaxing in his company, in a small intimate setting.

He reminded us that we were all born by our mothers - that we have all needed to be held and fed. This vital need for connection is shared by every person. This is a core foundation of our humanity.

In a presentation to a group of children, I invited them to consider all of the babies in the world. I asked, "How many of them deserve to be held and fed and loved?"

Then I asked "How many toddlers deserve to be held and fed and cared for?" Of course, all of them.

"How many preschoolers or growing children, teenagers, or adults, deserve to be cared for, fed, and loved?"

I asked the group:

Do babies choose where they are born?

Are they able to choose the wealth of their native country?

Are they able to choose what they look like?

Those of us who are lucky enough to live in a prosperous area can remind ourselves that we did not earn our good fortune.

We can have compassion on others who are less fortunate than ourselves.

We all deserve to live in an environment where we can be fully cared for, valued, and loved.