So much of the conflict and pain we are witnessing in the world is far from new, but that doesn't make it easier to understand.
How can human beings be so deliberately cruel to one another? For what?
Queerphobia-
It's ridiculous. Why does one group of individuals keep trying to dictate who other, adult, human beings get to fall in love with?
They seem to come up with new, ever more incredulous excuses all the time. They want it to be about religion. Why should your religious beliefs dictate what others do? We live in a space very proud of its religious freedom, or freedom from religion, if we so choose.
If you want organized religion to run our choices I vote for one in which women occupy 90% of the positions of power. What? There are none? Interesting.
Why does someone choosing their own name freak you out? I call myself a woman, and I ask to be called a woman. Why can't everyone receive that same respect? It's not hard.
Gender and biology are not the same things. It's not hard.
Shouldn't we be more concerned about kids being marginalized? Singled out?
How dare you hide behind religious symbols, books, and quotes that have been rewritten, re-edited, and re-interpreted for centuries to demonize other humans. Humans who want nothing more than equality. Just accept people for who they are. It's not hard.
Power-
Some seem to have an insatiable hunger for it. Like it means something. Like somehow, in the grand scheme of things it will make a difference to anyone but you.
Yes, those who wield political power can make an actual difference. For the good of everyone, if they so choose, or to attack other countries, if they so choose, or to simply hold on to the power they become accustomed to by any means necessary, if they so choose. This kind of power may be precious in the moment, but it too is fleeting. In a couple of centuries, those to wield the heft of it will be but names in a history book, either viewed as people who helped humanity, or...........not. Either way, but a memory, and maybe the butt of historic jokes.
You know that philosophical question about time travel and killing baby Hitler? I can't help but wonder who our descendants will ponder about.
Greed-
Let me get something straight right off the jump. Greed and wealth are not the same things. If you work hard for your money, or had it given to you, and enjoy it, that's awesome. It's the pursuit of said wealth at the detriment of others, and the human value attached to wealth with which I take issue. The idea that people who have money are somehow more valuable than those who don't, yeah that. That drives me nuts.
This is also something that baffles me. Why do we use the accumulation of stuff as some sort of report card for success?
I mean, it's not like you're going to take it with you when you leave this planet. You could try, I guess, but even the greediest of us would have to admit that's a pretty idiotic notion.
When this topic of conversation comes up, the word legacy gets thrown around quite a bit.
Legacy will carry different meanings for different people.
Stuff, things, and money can provide an easier life, in some aspects, for future generations, that's for sure. It can mean providing your future loved ones with one less thing to worry about.
They won't have to learn to budget. They won't ever have to decide between electricity or groceries. I get it.
But, the stuff, things, and money, aren't really the legacy. That's just the inheritance.
True legecy is determined over time, and through action.
How do your children walk through the world? How do they treat others? Are your grandkids kind people? Do they live compassionately?
A generous inheritance can absolutely assist in creating a legacy, but it is by far not the only contributing factor.
So many people who have left behind true legacy had no inheritance, but went on to create incredible lives that touched so many in such positive ways. The Rosa Parks(not sure what the plural would be lol), the Martin Luther King Jrs, the Terry Foxes, the list could go on, and these are just a few of the famous ones.
There are so many names the world will never learn that have left legacies of kindness and generosity. We all know at least one. A neighbour, a friend a family member who lived their lives in a way we can only aspire to. Does that mean they were perfect? Absolutely not, just fundamentally good humans doing what good humans do, not for the publicity, not for the tax break, not for the pat on the back, but just because it was the right thing to do.
That example gets picked up and carried into the future by all who witness it.
It seems to me that as a society, we spend so much of our time chasing footprints in the sand.
Our footprints upon the sand wash away in a whisper, disappearing in but a few fleeting heartbeats, but showing those who follow us how to care for the beach, lives on for generations.
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May your legacy be one of generosity, kindness, and joy.
May it thrive far beyond your last breath, something for others to hold on to in times of turmoil.
May we come to understand that nature gives not one single care as to how much land, or baubles we own.
May we come to understand that we are here for but a minute, the stuff, the things, the land, not ours, simply on loan.
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