It’s been a while since I wrote on this blog… One of the main reasons has been that there were so many things going on, both in my personal life as well as in the world at large, that I needed to step back a bit to take it all in. Reading the news about the mass killings of people in various parts of the world (as well as the lack of reporting on some of them), following the negotiations and disagreements at the Paris climate conference, despairing at the way the world seems to be going…
However, recently I’ve been trying harder to remind myself that there is hope. That we have a remedy to the many problems facing the world. And of course it’s not easy or a quick fix. Of course it’ll require an effort from all of us, but I fully trust that if and when we – as the world community – start working together, truly start seeing each other as part of our “extended family” no matter our obvious differences, and genuinely recognise that this planet is our shared – and only – home… once those realisations become fully integrated into our actions, things will start to get a lot better.
“Unity is a condition of the human spirit. Education can support and enhance it, as can legislation, but they can do so only once it emerges and has established itself as a compelling force in social life. […] unity is the remedy for the world’s ills […]” (from a message from the Baha’i governing body)
No, this won’t be quick and easy. It is requiring a shift in the way we think about ourselves (stop thinking that we can’t help but engage in wars and realise that we have the capacity for love and compassion and need to put those qualities into practice), our neighbours (they share our same humanity, regardless of their skin colour, creed, nationality, gender, etc) and humanity at large (we are in this together, and we are becoming more and more interconnected). This is the only way to create a sustainable and sustaining way of living together with the beautiful and enriching diversity we have on this planet.
And let’s not forget: there are good news already:
It was very encouraging to read about the results from the Paris climate talks: to see that the governments of the world are making collective goals and a formulating a shared vision.
So: I am back. And hopeful.
onseekingsustainability 