The Garden of Eden
For sometime, I request you to kindly switch off from your present activities and your present occupational thoughts and go back to your childhood. Do you remember your smiling family, the early lessons of your religion and fables that were taught, full of morals and good conduct that we were expected to govern our lives with? We surely believed the existence of our God and his wonderful creations, we saw all around us. Books of religions and the good teachers helped us understand the rudimentary of our small life and the smiles and good natured help from everyone around, helped us feel secure.
We saw the Sun in awe and in wonder tried to count the stars at night, slept peacefully in total belief that there indeed was a God who looked over us while we slept. We saw the world around us in vividly imagined colors and you and I were the best of friends. Innocence and adaptability walked hand in hand. You were you and I was I and nothing more really mattered. Our folks welcomed us when we went to each others home without asking details of our individual backgrounds save the happy feelings that we were friends. Your God and my God were the same, our innocence and our friendship paramount.
There indeed was a GARDEN OF EDEN.
Did you get a smile, a feeling of warmth roll over you? I am sure you did, we all do.
Why did we lose all these?
Now lets us switch back to the reality of our life, the today of our existence, what do we see? Do we see innocence anywhere? Media full of mock smiles and handshakes, speeches of deceit and anger and brains working overtime, to snatch the little that is left of our development. Greed abounds all around in all shapes and sizes. Do we see these in ourselves? Wisely said, our society is a mirror of our own selves and we are a part of this ugly, cold and calculating society we call our world. I am sure all of us have many times thought over this and felt an urge for a total reversal. But is it possible with the way our lives are so intrinsically connected with today’s world? No and a yes.
No, because, you and me are part of this society. We made it what it is today. Either directly or indirectly we fanned our own avarice. Innocently at first and then the habit set it. Surprisingly we see little of our wrong doings in the face of the larger society we live in, but in reality all our little innocent and not so innocent discretions is what this world is made of today. We do not have time to see the real Sun or the Stars, but yes, we want to see the Sun and The Stars shining bright in our own homes. Strangely real is our own desire of having our own small Garden of Eden right in our homes and backyards, noticing little of what is beyond the compound wall of our so called havens. We shade our eyes and roll up our windows to the stark reality of plunder and destruction of what was once God’s Garden of Eden. Let us not blame anyone for this state of our society, for we too are a partner. An unhealthy avarice for large, larger and largest of everything has spilled our desires over areas and things that do not belong to us. We have even legitimized the wars and the spoils of wars as ours for keeps.
The Holy Book says, God did not spare His own Son, but look around us, we did not even spare God let alone His Son, we have used and misused His words to suit our own requirements, and made His abode a money spinning venture. Crass commercialization of everything with no sanctity in anything is where we have brought the original Garden of Eden into. Look at our burgeoning cities with no emotions or human sensitivities, Paradise Lost wrote John Milton (1608-1664), maybe he had the foresight of what would become of our world, eventually. Unfettered growth of population has made resources scarce and alternative sources being developed are profited insensitively.
If the child in you screams, ‘beyond despair and repair’, I wish to assure you that all is not really lost. We can, if we ever harbor, a slight hope and spread its wings in each one of us we can remake this world of ours into the original Garden of Eden.
Yes, it is possible. A change is needed. You and I will have to turn back the tide. We have to make many small amendments in our hearts and way we live. Primarily we have to make changes in ourselves and the way we see others and in the way we utilize nature.
Color, religion, language and lifestyles differ geographically. Humanity has various ethnic hues, however, trust and honor of individual rights needs to be prioritized and religious tolerance needs to be advocated honestly. Political doctrines need to be re-examined for suitability and efficiency in today’s world. Whilst not eulogizing Socialism, the economic disparities in today’s world, has created sufficient tensions which have led to inhuman exploitation through both civil and military actions. Equality in regional development must be promoted and education and health care must be accorded priority. Jobs and infrastructural development must not be regionalized but must be utilitarian for all mankind. Technology developed must be for human benefit and licensing and patenting it for commercial benefits must be avoided. Very commonly espoused and much touted expression, ‘One World, One People’, must bear credence rather than just a commercial jingoism. We must view this earth as an inheritance that is common to all of us.
Secondly, we are a part of nature and we will have to return to nature what we have exploited. I don’t mean that we have to shut down development but yes, the environment must be re-cultivated for the benefit of all living beings. Development must take into cognizance the impact it has on nature as our sustenance is wholly dependent on the quality of our environment. Adaptability is a slow process and the industrial revolution has caused quite a spurt in environmental pollution which has led to many new diseases for which there are no permanent cures. Many diseases have not as yet been diagnosed and by the time it will be known quite a few of us will fall prey to it. Pollution today is a global phenomenon and any country howsoever economically strong, it still is, susceptible to the damages it can cause. We can have meetings and protest meetings deploring Global Warming, but just how many of us really ask ourselves honestly if we will not suffer from this consequence. How would anyone of us, answer our children, if we in our own quest for material gains, are not putting their future at risk. This earth has been for millions of years the home for many species of life, but in the last few decades not only have many of these long surviving species become extinct but we have made our own doomsday plans with our unquenchable thirst for power and wealth. Do we wish this to be our agenda?
I dare say with some conviction that neither you nor I are prepared for this. We all do wish that we are able to harmonize back with nature and spread our hands out to each one of us and be able to recreate the Garden of Eden as what was given to us by our Good God. We have created enough tragedies around us and the present state of our world is giving us a clarion call of attention for us to regroup our energies and love for each other and our world.
With certain commitments we can say with conviction that our Lost Paradise can be regained.
We saw the Sun in awe and in wonder tried to count the stars at night, slept peacefully in total belief that there indeed was a God who looked over us while we slept. We saw the world around us in vividly imagined colors and you and I were the best of friends. Innocence and adaptability walked hand in hand. You were you and I was I and nothing more really mattered. Our folks welcomed us when we went to each others home without asking details of our individual backgrounds save the happy feelings that we were friends. Your God and my God were the same, our innocence and our friendship paramount.
There indeed was a GARDEN OF EDEN.
Did you get a smile, a feeling of warmth roll over you? I am sure you did, we all do.
Why did we lose all these?
Now lets us switch back to the reality of our life, the today of our existence, what do we see? Do we see innocence anywhere? Media full of mock smiles and handshakes, speeches of deceit and anger and brains working overtime, to snatch the little that is left of our development. Greed abounds all around in all shapes and sizes. Do we see these in ourselves? Wisely said, our society is a mirror of our own selves and we are a part of this ugly, cold and calculating society we call our world. I am sure all of us have many times thought over this and felt an urge for a total reversal. But is it possible with the way our lives are so intrinsically connected with today’s world? No and a yes.
No, because, you and me are part of this society. We made it what it is today. Either directly or indirectly we fanned our own avarice. Innocently at first and then the habit set it. Surprisingly we see little of our wrong doings in the face of the larger society we live in, but in reality all our little innocent and not so innocent discretions is what this world is made of today. We do not have time to see the real Sun or the Stars, but yes, we want to see the Sun and The Stars shining bright in our own homes. Strangely real is our own desire of having our own small Garden of Eden right in our homes and backyards, noticing little of what is beyond the compound wall of our so called havens. We shade our eyes and roll up our windows to the stark reality of plunder and destruction of what was once God’s Garden of Eden. Let us not blame anyone for this state of our society, for we too are a partner. An unhealthy avarice for large, larger and largest of everything has spilled our desires over areas and things that do not belong to us. We have even legitimized the wars and the spoils of wars as ours for keeps.
The Holy Book says, God did not spare His own Son, but look around us, we did not even spare God let alone His Son, we have used and misused His words to suit our own requirements, and made His abode a money spinning venture. Crass commercialization of everything with no sanctity in anything is where we have brought the original Garden of Eden into. Look at our burgeoning cities with no emotions or human sensitivities, Paradise Lost wrote John Milton (1608-1664), maybe he had the foresight of what would become of our world, eventually. Unfettered growth of population has made resources scarce and alternative sources being developed are profited insensitively.
If the child in you screams, ‘beyond despair and repair’, I wish to assure you that all is not really lost. We can, if we ever harbor, a slight hope and spread its wings in each one of us we can remake this world of ours into the original Garden of Eden.
Yes, it is possible. A change is needed. You and I will have to turn back the tide. We have to make many small amendments in our hearts and way we live. Primarily we have to make changes in ourselves and the way we see others and in the way we utilize nature.
Color, religion, language and lifestyles differ geographically. Humanity has various ethnic hues, however, trust and honor of individual rights needs to be prioritized and religious tolerance needs to be advocated honestly. Political doctrines need to be re-examined for suitability and efficiency in today’s world. Whilst not eulogizing Socialism, the economic disparities in today’s world, has created sufficient tensions which have led to inhuman exploitation through both civil and military actions. Equality in regional development must be promoted and education and health care must be accorded priority. Jobs and infrastructural development must not be regionalized but must be utilitarian for all mankind. Technology developed must be for human benefit and licensing and patenting it for commercial benefits must be avoided. Very commonly espoused and much touted expression, ‘One World, One People’, must bear credence rather than just a commercial jingoism. We must view this earth as an inheritance that is common to all of us.
Secondly, we are a part of nature and we will have to return to nature what we have exploited. I don’t mean that we have to shut down development but yes, the environment must be re-cultivated for the benefit of all living beings. Development must take into cognizance the impact it has on nature as our sustenance is wholly dependent on the quality of our environment. Adaptability is a slow process and the industrial revolution has caused quite a spurt in environmental pollution which has led to many new diseases for which there are no permanent cures. Many diseases have not as yet been diagnosed and by the time it will be known quite a few of us will fall prey to it. Pollution today is a global phenomenon and any country howsoever economically strong, it still is, susceptible to the damages it can cause. We can have meetings and protest meetings deploring Global Warming, but just how many of us really ask ourselves honestly if we will not suffer from this consequence. How would anyone of us, answer our children, if we in our own quest for material gains, are not putting their future at risk. This earth has been for millions of years the home for many species of life, but in the last few decades not only have many of these long surviving species become extinct but we have made our own doomsday plans with our unquenchable thirst for power and wealth. Do we wish this to be our agenda?
I dare say with some conviction that neither you nor I are prepared for this. We all do wish that we are able to harmonize back with nature and spread our hands out to each one of us and be able to recreate the Garden of Eden as what was given to us by our Good God. We have created enough tragedies around us and the present state of our world is giving us a clarion call of attention for us to regroup our energies and love for each other and our world.
With certain commitments we can say with conviction that our Lost Paradise can be regained.
posted by Sushil BaBoo at 5:41 AM
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