Sick world, or not?

 

 Sick world, or not?

The Alberta sun is blood red and going down. Here in the Crowsnest Pass, we happen to live where there are no wildfires this year, but most of our people are not that lucky. The map on the weather network shows around a hundred fires and a helicopter pilot just got killed around Peace River. Reports from all over the world say that this is the hottest year since we have been recording. It’s the worst in BC.

In 1975, I learned at university that fires, floods, and changing climate, will happen. We believed it would not happen in our lifetime and ignored the predictions. We like to hear only good news. Many still do, even as they drown in floods or lose everything to fires. In my opinion, humble as it is, those who profit from carbon released into the air should pay for the damages. Why should we pay with taxes for damage caused by private enterprise? Their own scientists warned them.

My wife and I were driving back home from Pincher Creek and highway paving forced us to wait for hours. Locals like us took side roads through the towns and came back to the highway ahead of the traffic, causing us to wait in the heat much longer. Soon some motorcycles passed the line on the right and inserted themselves into the waiting line ahead of us. A friend told me the next day how he was smart and made it to an appointment on time, while another, a mother coming back from work was late to pick up her kids. Someone is ahead since others are set back.

A politician rose to fame by criticizing another politician much like himself. They both had only one thing in mind: to be powerful and force poor workers to work harder for less. I attended a meeting in which the politician plainly said that the workers were stupid and didn’t deserve more. The politician made millions, but the workers couldn't afford rent and good food for their children. I wanted to shout. It’s not fair, but we all know.

Those are examples of what happens to a society that lost its morals. On the world stage, it translates to wars and other disasters causing horrible suffering and uncountable loss of lives. There will be a price to pay for Russia destroying Ukrainian grain, for example. There is only one human world and all humans are a part of it.

I figured out years ago that humans like me appear as individual entities but are all parts of the same body. Even the old bible says so. We gain an advantage by taking from other people. If we could regulate ourselves and not overdo it, the world would be a different place, but we don’t. That is why the Lord’s prayer mentions, “Lead us not into temptation.”

We all know the feeling. I can buy something shiny new or do a good deed with the money. Just like a raven, I grab the shiny and fly away, letting others worry about the needs of those who are not as well-off, saying that I worked for what I have and that they can do the same. A few can, but there are always many who can’t.

The planet we inhabit was designed to sustain all of us if we do the following. We must use the wisdom of the planet that we used for millions of years before developing into what we are now. It is called “Mother Earth” by primitive people for a reason. It gives us life and takes care of us to maturity. We are made from it and exist on its gifts. It demands however something in return. We must accept with our free will to share the bounty with others who are not superior humans, as we are, in our opinion. The Mother demands that we will love our brothers and sisters or perish by our own hands and go back to nothing. Complete nothing, no created things.

It’s a hot day and I am sitting by a keyboard living up to my commitment. My readers get a new article every week. Many thank me for it. My body is sick but I keep a mask on. We all do if we admit it or not. The world from where I am looks great. Is it just a mask? I ask, or is it me thinking that it’s a sick world?

If it is sick, then we have a way to show that it can be cured. We have a spot that is blessed by God, or the universal mind. Not so cold in the winters, or hot in the summers. The people help each other and feel safe. There are people here representing all the major religions, nationalities, and age groups. People with disabilities are safe here and outsiders are competing for the privilege of living here.

I see many faces of visitors around and I think we are exporting the goodness we are blessed with. I look at the setting sun and it’s not red today. I hear kids’ voices from a holiday home. The church was full of visitors this morning. Thank you, Lord, I whisper and I feel an answer. Keep it up, good people, and I will be here with you.