Be gentle, be decent, be brave There are an infinite number of ways of describing being a human being. There are funny distinctions between being a human being and being a human doing. Thoughtful honest intelligent ideas and concepts abound. Ways of looking, listening and feeling. Millions of words are written each year about what we get up to and how and why and when. Libraries are written and read. And yet we get no closer to each other. The wars do not stop. The aggression escalates People suffer. People we could look after suffer. We fail to look after each other We fail to look after ourselves We've lost our way But I know – because I've seen it That people do care That people are gentle, decent and brave Just see them when they are called upon To support each other in communities People don't fail this test when asked We all can be this So please, for all our sakes Be gentle, decent and brave And compassion, clarity, precision and love will flow again