Looking around, I see a world which has long forgotten the meaning of love. I see brother pitted against brother. Sisters envious of each other’s happiness. Parents unconcerned about their children’s welfare. People walking past fellow human beings in pain, without even casting a piteous glance towards them.
I see corruption, immorality, degradation, depravity, crime and filth everywhere I turn. I see us destroying the only known inhabitable planet and our home- Earth. I see children being robbed of their innocence, deprived of the joy of childhood, pushed into an ever illusive and never-ending rat race for fame, money, and pleasure. seeking.
I see our conscience benumbed and incapacitated by a sickening and dehumanizing education. I see us accepting this wretched life as our destiny. I see us giving up without even trying to make a difference. And in those who try to change their lives, I see the flash of inspiration soon snuffed out by the care and oppression of survival.
I look around and wonder if it’s really worth living in a world like this? There are times when death almost seems like a pleasant relief! But then I look at the smiling faces of innocent children, oblivious to the harsh realities of life. The sparkle in their eyes and their intoxicating laughter makes me wonder if they stand a better chance in a world that is edging closer to Armageddon.
The only question that crosses my mind now is: what can I do to make a difference? I do not doubt that I can make a difference. I might be an insignificant ‘one’ among billions, but that does not make me any less human! And as a human I know that I can, if only I will to do it! I may not see any real change in my lifetime, but I know I can inspire enough people who will carry forward this desire for change. I know that someday this desire for change will bear fruits in the shape of a world that is more humane, and loving.
Love, pure and unmerited; love, selfless and unending; love that is willing to sacrifice all. Love is what this world needs in order to be healed of all the hatred, malice, suspicion, and ill feeling that has enslaved humanity.
I hope to make a new start today, and it would be a really sad fate if I end up drifting away from my vision. I pledge this day to dedicate my life to making this world a better place in whatever way I can.
Rohit Daniel 