This is part one of a two part article.

There is much conflict in daily living. Wars, hatred, and vengeance abound. In many instances in our daily lives, we can see where it is not easy for people to move on or move past, to give way to their opinions so that they may hear the opinion of another.

We have seen those who show only contempt for the ideas or beliefs or personal convictions of others. We have stood by and watched as a wife has acted out in vengeance against her husband, or vice-versa.

We have seen man at his best too. We have seen him reach new goals, overcome obstacles and shine the light of his intelligence and love and happiness on those in need. We have seen him selflessly put the needs of others ahead of his own, and we have seen him take a bad action and turn it into an act of kindness.

In an article originally published by L. Ron Hubbard, Founder of the Scientology Religion, he gives an in-depth look at what makes a man or a woman great, and he also gives a glimpse of what makes a man operate in his less than optimum state. The complete article, entitled, "What is Greatness," Can be found in the book, entitled, "Scientology, a New Slant on Life.

"The hardest task one can have is to continue to love his fellows despite all reasons one should not.

"And the true sign of sanity and greatness is to so continue.

"For the one who can achieve this, there is abundant hope.

"For those who cannot, there is only sorrow, hatred, and despair. And these are not the things of which greatness--or sanity or happiness are made.

"A primary trap is to succumb to invitations to hate.

"There are those who appoint one their executioners. Sometimes for the sake of safety of others it is necessary to act. But it is not necessary also to hate them.
To do one's task without becoming furious at others who seek to prevent one is a mark of greatness - and sanity. And only then can one be happy.

"Seeking to achieve any single desirable quality in life is a noble thing. The one most difficult - and most necessary to achieve - is to love one's fellows despite all invitations to do otherwise.

"If there is any saintly quality, it is not to forgive. "Forgiveness" accepts the badness of the act. There is no reason to accept it. Further, one has to label the act as bad to forgive it. "Forgiveness" is a much lower level action and is rather censorious.

True greatness merely refuses to change in the face of bad actions against one--and a truly great person loves his fellows because he understands them.

"After all, they're all in the same trap. Some are oblivious of it. Some have gone mad because of it. Some act like those who betrayed them. But all, all are in the same trap. The generals, the street sweepers, the presidents, the insane. They act the way they do because they are all subjected to the same pressures of this universe.

"Some of us are subject to those pressures and still go on doing our jobs. Others have long since succumbed and rave and torture and strut like the demented souls that they are.

"To resave some of them is a dangerous undertaking.

"We can at least understand the one fact that greatness does not stem from savage wars or being known. It stems from being true to ones own decency from going on helping others, whatever they do or think or say, despite all savage acts against one; to persevere without changing one's basic attitude toward man."

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