We live on a fragile, small planet in a wondrous huge universe. We have to give it the care and respect it needs to sustain us.
Throughout human history we created and cultivated beliefs in Gods, God and Nature and codified them in institutions and structures that reward the believers and penalize those who do not. Hatred, bigotry, wars and great atrocities were and still are justified by beliefs regarding the “other, “which never fails to bring about great destruction and misery. However, most faiths also provide a great framework for social justice, fairness, acts of kindness, grace and charity, all of which help elevate humanity and facilitate a better and kinder human existence.
At the heart of it all is our small blue planet, in our small solar system, out of the way and almost hidden in a vast and wondrous universe we know very little about. We used to get comfort from the belief that the earth was flat and that we were at the center of our solar system (and the universe) and that as long as we behaved in the proscribed appropriate manner by our faith and masters we would be safe.
Alas, our intellect, curiosity and ability for critical thinking and deductive reasoning launched us into scientific exploration, invention and innovation in many areas, revolutionizing our lives and making imagination driven science fiction pale in comparison to our reality. We also launched explorations of our world, visited our moon and ventured out into our solar system and beyond.
As a partial consequence of all that progress and innovation we are now bombarded with easy access information and images from everywhere, anywhere. At a younger and younger age we use our computers and various mobile devices for instant access to anything we want to know, limited only by our current state of knowledge (which changes and evolves constantly) and the speed in which our fingers and voices challenge technology.
What is sometimes lost in translation is the wonder of it all. Regardless of what and whom you attribute it to (God, Nature, Supreme Being, Chance, Natural Laws…). We must retain our appreciation for the amazing universe we live in and accept our insignificant part in it. Cherishing our short time on this small fragile planet and the limitations of our bodies and abilities will enrich our lives, minimize the hate, pettiness, rudeness and mediocrity we seem to get lost in sometimes, and allow for enlightenment and harmony to play a bigger part in our existence, making life so much more meaningful and worthwhile.
Important to note that in the last four decades, earth lost half its wildlife, according to the most comprehensive study of animal population to date, conducted by scientists at the wildlife group WWF, the Zoological Society of London and other organizations.
The Report went on to explain:
“This ‘overshot’ is possible because–for now–we can cut trees faster than they mature, harvest more fish than the oceans can replenish, or emit more carbon into the atmosphere than the forests and oceans can absorb.”
Carter Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of WWF, U.S. indicated in an interview:
“It’s a very loud wake-up call…as we loose natural capital, people lose the ability to feed themselves and to provide for their families–it increases instability exponentially. When that happens, it ceases to be a local problem and become a global one.”
Realizing that we have the power to improve or destroy our environment (the later making life and living on earth very difficult for ourselves), will help provide a reality check and motivate better care of this small planet we call home. After all, it’s the only one we’ve got.
Photo: LifeisPixels.com /Flicker Video1: David Peterson-All Alone in the Nigh /YouTube Video2: David Peterson-World Outside my Window /YouTube