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What can I contribute to the family of the Earth, divided by gender,mentality, nationality, religion, or ethnic tradition?

By spiritual constitution we are all one--individuals of the same nature and family of God. We come into the material world and accept a false ego that tells us we are the material body, mind, intelligence and emotions, and that we should act for this selfish self interest. We believe we must compete with others for what we perceive as scare resources and facilities for survival and enjoyment.

At times we may feel like this: "How pitiful that although I believe in my and everyone's spiritual identity and also have experience of myself beyond the perishable body, I am still affected by the same selfishness."

A funny thing about Andra Pradesh and other states in South India, they have this saying. "We do not know what Krishna looks like. If someone thinks of Krishna the face that they see is that of NTR, Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao."

Seeing Krishna is the perfection of the eyes
the soul is never satiated drinking that beauty
eyelids blinking seem like a calamity hiding him
as each moment is ever fresh, like our first, best love.

The naked form of matter
giving misery, heartbreak
false promises
from good advertising

As aspiring devotees of Krishna it is essential that we have a philosophical attitude toward life, rather then only religious sentiments. Prabhupada's (my guru's) sannyas name--Bhaktivedanta Swami--teaches us that we have to have a philosophical understanding--Vedanta--as well as devotion--Bhakti. He taught us an important idea originally coined by Rabindranath Tagore: "Religion without philosophy is sentiment, or sometimes fanaticism, while philosophy without religion is mental speculation."