What do a newborn baby, a lion cub, and a puppy have in common? They evoke an almost universal response in us: a feeling of warmth, a desire to protect, and a sense of gentle affection. This is the power of innocence. It’s a purity and defenselessness that melts our hearts. We instinctively know these creatures won’t hurt us; they are simply beautiful beings we want to love and cuddle.

This instinct runs deep. In places like Istanbul, countless cats roam the streets, yet they are treated with a striking reverence. People walk around them, feed them, and care for them. They are part of the city’s heart. Our wiring is so strong that we are often most repulsed by acts of cruelty directed at the innocent. Harm to a child makes national news because it violates this fundamental human principle. Nature itself echoes this drive. A mother grizzly bear, though half the size of a male, will risk her life without hesitation to protect her cubs from him. She embodies the fierce, unwavering defense of innocence.

Our response to the world is largely dictated by this internal compass. We see an innocent act and respond with kindness, love, and compassion. We witness a cruel one and feel dislike, animosity, or even hatred. We are constantly judging the actions of others through this lens. But the most important judgment, the one that runs on a continuous loop throughout our lives, is the one we turn upon ourselves.

If we cherish innocence and kindness in the outside world, it follows that we must value it within ourselves. Our actions, when aligned with........

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