The greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater is our own sense of well-being. -The Dalai Lama

From "the introduction (written by the Dalai Lama) to 'It's a Meaningful Life, It Just Takes Practice'," by Bo Lozoff:

I believe that human nature is fundamentally gentle and creative and that it is important for us to recognize this. If we examine the nature of our lives, we find that from the moment of birth until we die, human affection plays a crucial role in ensuring not only that we feel satisfied, but even that we survive. As social animals, we human beings not only depend on each other's support simply to live, but also have a deep-seated desire to communicate with one another, to express our feelings and share our experiences. On the one hand, our need to live together, like members of any family, requires that we show each other tolerance and mutual support. On the other, our diversity is a source of strength and creativity.

In recent times, civilization has made many advances, but we continue to be troubled by problems because of our undue emphasis solely on material development. We have become so engrossed in its pursuit that, almost without knowing it, we have neglected to foster the most basic human needs for love, kindness, cooperation and caring. And yet the development of human society is based entirely on people helping each other. If we lose this essential humanity, what is the point of pursuing only material improvement?