There’s a pretty famous Ram Dass quote, perhaps you know it:
“Treat everyone you meet like they are God in drag.”
It’s fun, witty, and certainly very expressive. For years, I’ve heard it and smiled, but there was something underneath that always kind of bothered me. (I love Ram Dass, though. What a beautiful human being he was.)
So, while I understand the quote’s intent, I sort of disagree with it. It implies that you should take how you feel about God—whether that’s reverence, obedience, awe, fear, disparagement, skepticism, etc —and treat every other human being, everyone on the planet, with that emotion. But that’s not a good plan, nor is it healthy.
God is something intangible for a reason. The idea of God is something that allows us to explore our connection to that which is outside of us, almost unreaching, in a way that gives us something we need—be it hope, faith, peace, or anything else. That’s not a very human interaction or connection, if you ask me.
And, in my opinion, that’s not actually what any God would want from us.
Instead, I’d alter the quote to read: Treat everyone you meet as if they are a younger version of yourself. A 5-year old you, or a 15-year old you. The one who is hurting inside, but being brave outside. The one who plays in a park with wild abandon, free from social constraints because they haven’t learned them yet.
Treat everyone you meet as your younger self, and you will find that your world opens up. You will have more curiosity, more patience, and more compassion.
