As I’ve mentioned many times, on most Fridays, Judy and I join others who are demonstrating against Climate Change in downtown Kingston. I always learn a lot just watching and talking to people. Today it struck me how much more diverse we are as a species than other kinds of life. The largest adults I saw this morning were easily three times the weight of the smallest. Our colour went from nearly black to the palest white. Skin tone, walking style, speech patterns, most every feature varied immensely. Compare that with any other kind of animal life. See what I mean?
Now, imagine if we could visually tack on that which our culture values most, our financial worth. Some would be thousands of times ‘more’ than others. Our cultures and habits vary greatly. The very things that we value most, differ the most. We have very few religions that don’t divide. They want and expect all people to become just like them. It’s them against the ‘others’. Yet, medically and genetically we’re basically the same.
As we have ‘advanced’, our differences have become even more important to us. Even among similar peoples, take the United States or many other countries, divisions are exaggerated and emphasized to the detriment of unifying realities. As our capacity for killing each other grows, it’s increasingly hard to imagine a positive future for humanity. Even the common and existential threat of Climate Change hasn’t seemed to make much of a difference. If we were attacked by aliens, we might put aside our small differences, but our astronomers don’t think that will happen.
Only a great shift in common will, will make a difference big enough for us to have hope for a better future. The few movements toward hope will have to become far more radical and many more people will have to join, with all their hearts and souls instead of just their spare time and spare change. We’ve no more time to just be nice about it.
There’s only room for one difference: those who are living for a common humanity and the world, and those who refuse to get off of the path of divisions that will be our death. Those who are trying to ‘just do what little they can’ are deluding themselves. We need to find and follow people who are truly choosing to live their lives as if they matter, who are doing so for the good of all of humanity, for all time, not just for a few, for a few years.
What a great age in which to live! I wouldn’t trade it for any other. I’m sorry I’m old enough to not be around to see how it turns out. So, while and when I can, I’ll keep making noise, trying to wake people up, sharing my life with others and being a thorn where I can.
Speaking of making noise where I can, I’m leading the church service in Morven United Church on Sunday the 25th. It’s at 9:45 at 1183 Fralick Road. The church is visible to the south from Highway 2 about ten miles east of Napanee, near the old site of Morven. I and friends were there last Sunday. What a great surprise to share with about fourty people, a goodly amount for any church in August. And they invited me back!
Contact me in any way. Come to sing & eat on Saturdays at 6:00. Or over coffee anytime. We’ve got to connect more with people.
