Book excerpt: In this follow-up to his much praised Finding Hope and Meaning in Suffering, Trystan Owain Hughes encourages us to develop an approach to life that looks beyond our own concerns. Using illustrations from poetry, literature and film, and drawing on contemporary scientific thought, the author makes plain that our natural state is an interconnected harmony with God, with each other and with the world around us. Gradually we come to realize that loving others and desiring the best for them is worthwhile, even when there seems to be little in it for us. Just as Christ chose to humble himself and become 'God with us', so we too will bring light to the lives of those around us by transcending our self-centredness and becoming fully present to those in need. And as we begin to attune ourselves to love's frequency, our inner being will instinctively embrace all creation as sacred and deserving of our care and attention.