Overview: I have a German language “Wisdom of the Dalai Lama” page-a-day calendar. Each day, I plan to translate the German into English, and discuss.
Juli 4: Wir müssen durch unser eigenes Handeln ein Beispiel geben, denn wir können nicht hoffen, andere nur durch Worte zu überzeugen.
We must provide example through our deeds, because we cannot hope to convince others by words alone.
In other words, “Actions speak louder than words.”
As a parent of a toddler, I am even more acutely aware than I have been in the past of the importance of walking one’s talk. It seems to me that many parents pressure their children to say “please” and “thank you,” for instance, while not saying these sorts of things themselves.
I’ve been working to modify my own actions to better reflect my values. There was a time when I had particularly strong opinions about the right and wrong way to do things, but over time I let those habits slip into what is easiest. I speak of my own liberalism, but my actions don’t always support those proud speeches.