What Kind of World Do You Want

Today we have the potential to change the fate of the world. This is a tall order when considering that we are all God's creatures and that ultimately, God is in control. Still we have the concept of freewill.

When I was a little girl, I read a quote by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides, gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And, on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, man will have discovered fire.

It's a fantastic quote. I didn't realize it then, but I have been guided by that quote and many of others of Mr. de Chardin. I look to humanists and existentialists to understand my place in the world.

I find no conflict in understanding existentialism and being a practicing Muslim. After all, we are taught that we have free will and that it is our responsibility to make judgements wisely and hold ourselves accountable for our own actions. There is no "the Devil made me do it". We make choices. We create our destiny and our reality.

I want to live in a world full of love --love for God as we each understand and accept. I want to live in a world where personal responsibilities do not give way to excuses, a world where we are obligated to each other. I do not expect much from my fellow humans save the desire to further all of mankind and to help each of us achieve our full potential.

What kind of world do I want? A world of peace and joy, of lessened human suffereing caused by our own greed and selfishness. Often, I think I expect too much. I have no choice when I see the selflessness of the Mother Teresas, the passion and love of leaders of state for their countries, the joining of more powerful nations to feed the hungry, lend assistance in time of crisis. I know it's there. We want to love; we want to have peace. We want a world where no child goes to bed hungry. Given human nature, perhaps I think too highly.

There has always been war, misunderstanding, hatred. There has always been the temptation to take from one another what does not rightfully belong to us. But then too, there has always been love. We haven't always been the way we are now. I want a world that coddles and soothes the masses, not one that takes advantage. As we state in Islam, I want more for my brothers than I want for myself.

As I sit on my porch and read, another thought comes to mind, also from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin: We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.

What kind of world do you want?