Absolutely Out of My Mind
Phil's Mental Musings
Being There for Each Other
13/05/08 13:30 Filed in: Human
Nature
The tragic natural disasters in
Myanmar (cyclone) and China (earthquake) tug at the heart strings
of anyone who harbors empathy for others. Photographs of the
children, in particular, impress upon us how fragile and precious
life is, and how suddenly it can flip from normal to chaotic.
Given how much suffering and struggle we have to deal with in our world and how disproportionately these burdens fall upon the young, old, weak and poor, I find myself mystified by our inability to put aside our silly ideological disputes, racial bigotry and greed in deference to taking care of our own . . . the human race.
During World War II, small cadres of American and German soldiers put down their weapons on Christmas to come together for a few moments of peace and harmony. In their hearts and souls, they heard the call of something greater than hatred, greed and winning. Surely, if mortal enemies can reach across their divides, the rest of us can find a similar degree of compassion within ourselves.
Perhaps it takes natural disasters to remind us that our existence on this largely benevolent planet is a fragile and tenuous affair, and that if we don't find a way to transcend our differences and take care of each other, we will not long survive.
If only we put as much time, energy, money and spirit into caring for each other, particularly the least among us, as we do into making war, spoiling the Earth for a buck and establishing our dominance hierarchies, we'd have a fighting chance.
As the afflicted in Myanmar and China know all too well, there is much to be done.
Either we come together or we come apart.
Given how much suffering and struggle we have to deal with in our world and how disproportionately these burdens fall upon the young, old, weak and poor, I find myself mystified by our inability to put aside our silly ideological disputes, racial bigotry and greed in deference to taking care of our own . . . the human race.
During World War II, small cadres of American and German soldiers put down their weapons on Christmas to come together for a few moments of peace and harmony. In their hearts and souls, they heard the call of something greater than hatred, greed and winning. Surely, if mortal enemies can reach across their divides, the rest of us can find a similar degree of compassion within ourselves.
Perhaps it takes natural disasters to remind us that our existence on this largely benevolent planet is a fragile and tenuous affair, and that if we don't find a way to transcend our differences and take care of each other, we will not long survive.
If only we put as much time, energy, money and spirit into caring for each other, particularly the least among us, as we do into making war, spoiling the Earth for a buck and establishing our dominance hierarchies, we'd have a fighting chance.
As the afflicted in Myanmar and China know all too well, there is much to be done.
Either we come together or we come apart.