Friday, August 22, 2008

Faith of the Heart



The past few years have been a series of disasters and sorrows that threaten to engulf us all. The chance of peace, liberty, and the general betterment of humanity that appeared at the end of the Cold War has either been squandered by greedy and narrow minded people or given the nature of Homo Sapiens was just a mirage from the start. But still, hope lingers for a better world and can never be quite extinguished. What hope? The hope that at some point all people will realize that we either stand together or will surely fall separately. That liberty and justice denied at the expense of some will in time come to mean liberty and justice denied to all. That enjoying security and prosperity while denying it to others is evil but that wallowing in ignorance and apathy and blaming others for it is just as bad. The hope that at some point the we will realize that the promises offered by those willing only for power and prestige are hollow and that we ourselves are the best agents of change for a better world. That true leadership seeks not to make history but to inspire others to work for a common good. The hope that at some point we will recognize that our differences make us stronger as long as people respect the beliefs of others who disagree with us and hold fast that in the end we all want to see our children grow up in peace.

All that is a tall order with nothing these days appearing to offer any chance of us seeing anything like that soon. But still we have to work toward those goals, hold fast to our courage and desire to see better days and have a little faith of the heart.

22 comments:

Commander Zaius said...

Sorry for the corny nature of this post but I have been feeling more than a little down lately. Needed something to make me feel better and restore just a little of my faith that it will all work out in the end.

Distributorcap said...

we all can use some hope and optimism these days --- and i am glad you supplied it

Mike said...

Some days it seems like hope is all we can have.

But I guess that is better than no hope at all.

Stella by Starlight said...

No corn at all. It's a sermon that needs to be heard frequently: The hope that at some point all people will realize that we either stand together or will surely fall separately... we will recognize that our differences make us stronger as long as people respect the beliefs of others who disagree with us....

These words are prescient, Beach. I comment on a conservative blog with an intelligent woman who holds a diametrically opposite perspective to mine.

My profound thanks for this post. We all need to remember these thoughts and know that from hope, reality will come.

Commander Zaius said...

Waldo: You welcome, hope you come by more often.

DCap and Mike: It may be only my skewed perception but no matter where I go or talk with there is a general dark feeling about the future. Some of it comes from a selfish desire to only protect what they have and the hell with everyone else.
Some comes from a general fear that the society and world we have created has gone out of control with nut cases, of all strips, pushing it ever closer to a waiting abyss.
And curiously enough I've talked to a few that look forward to the end of it all, that humans are a failure and a blight on the world that needs to be eliminated.
I must admit that I've come damn close to taking the position of the last one at times. Except that humans have done some good in the world and at times have shown the compassion and intelligence that does separate us from the animals. In reality, at least as far as I can discern, it seems that most of the troubles we face originate from a small percentage of the human population through greed, the desire for power, ignorance, or malignant superstition. (ask me later about that one) I guess the greatest portion of my hope for the future is that the greater portion of humanity that wants nothing more than to live and peace and freedom can at some point overcome the pack mentality that ties us to that smaller but more dynamic group out to damn us all.

Stella: Right now about all I have is my hope for better days and my faith that God, the universe, or the fact that millions of years of evolution and self preservation will not allow us to self destruct. Shit, it just might take all three to pull our asses from the fire.

lime said...

no apology needed. we all need to be reminded of this from time to time lest we all slip into a completely jaded oblivion.

Commander Zaius said...

Lime: Amen, the trick is overcome the oblivion that seems so certain at times and spread a little hope.

Utah Savage said...

Beach, thank you for your sensitivity and sweet words at my site. Being bipolar, the way down feels like the approaching end. And I'm nowhere near the end. I'm hopelessly hopeful. And I'm patiently waiting for the spark to return.

You have some impressive readers. Stella is the first reader who ever left a comment on my fledgeling site and it is always Stella who reminds me that I'm in good company and the spark will return. Breathe in, breathe out.

Dcap was there for my humiliating self-destruction. Sorry Dcap.

And I'm pleased today that Joe Biden is Barack's running mate. Little things mean a lot.

Randal Graves said...

Even if we end up buried under a nuclear winter and the carcasses of our enemies :) until that happens, sometimes you need a pick-me-up, whatever form fits your personality. This helps you, I turn to music, and I'm sure Cheney does something too when Halliburton goes down 1/4 of a point.

That wasn't very hopeful, was it, heh.

Ghost Dansing said...

more Americans should read Liberal literature....... link

Forrest Proper said...

All you say makes sense to me.

Stella by Starlight said...

I found some measure of hope glimpsing the DNC convention here and there. I never admired Ted Kennedy so much: to speak at that convention with brain cancer was a brave act and demonstrated so much strength and character.

Likewise, Michelle Obama. If Hillary can talk some sense into her Pumas tonight, we may see some genuine, positive change.

Or am I just being Pollyanna here?

Keshi said...

wow this is such a neat post BB! I love the msg u convey thru ur noble thoughts.


**The hope that at some point we will recognize that our differences make us stronger as long as people respect the beliefs of others who disagree with us and hold fast that in the end we all want to see our children grow up in peace.


Spot on! Now if everyone thought like u did, this world wud hv true PEACE!


I still hvnt lost hope tho...


*HUGZ*

Keshi.

Keshi said...

and no it's not corny at all!

btw if ur feeling down, come n read my today's post...it'll LIFT u up :)

Keshi.

Leigh of Tales from Bloggeritaville said...

Well said, my friend, well said.


Anything is possible.


Hope you feel restored. Sometimes that means surrendering, but only to HIM and with that a peace. Chin up! A sunny day is to come.

Commander Zaius said...

Utah: You welcome, and always feel welcome here.

Randal: One of my biggest problems with the general form of American life is how so many, including several close to me, get caught up in the rat race and what passes as culture these days. I don't give a rats ass about buying another bigger house or if some pop diva or actor will blow their latest trip to rehab. Call me a nerd Trekkie but I would much rather be watching astronauts return to the moon or be heading out to Mars. I have often felt I was born two hundred years to late or too early.

Ghost Dansing: That was a great video. I'll have to buy Thom Hartmann's book.

Colonel: I'm glad you think so, my wife read it and laughed. That's what I get for leaving the computer and her wanting to look at eBay. Bill Shakesspear had it right, kill all the lawyers.

Stella: Actually I'm pretty hopeful, its Thursday now and I like the way Hillary and Bill jumped in and did what they needed to do. I may even vote for her in 2012 if things go bad, okay that was tough for me to write but I mean it.

Keshi: I actually think I'm somewhat crazy so it may not be a good thing for many more to think like me. I did read your post and it did make me feel better.

Leigh: Anything is possible, just have to keep some faith, thanks.

Vigilante said...

Beach, your regular readers seem to have grasped a realization earlier than I have. As a writer your observations, sensitivities, and courage exhibit greater sharpness with each post. I congratulate you for this column. You raise the bar for many of us; your writing enriches everyone. When are you going to give up your day job?

Randal Graves said...

BB, I hear ya. Every period in time has its collection of bullshit within the culture, but ours seems so banal by comparison. Easy to say when we're wading through it, I suppose.

Kentucky Rain said...

I have an idea you might be feeling better today Beach, unless you missed Obama's great speech. Like Utah I am feeling "hopelessly hopeful."

Keshi said...

good to know that :) HUGS BB!

Keshi.

Unknown said...

Hillblogger 3: Hillboats for Obama!

Anonymous said...

thank you...



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