The other day while cleaning out a drawer in one of the vacant bedrooms, I rediscovered some old photographs I had taken when on a trip to Greece overlooking the Mediterranean. The pictures jogged an old memory of rather concerning thoughts that flooded yet again into my mind. Oh, the area was so beautiful. But, after a while when visiting that mountainous Greek hillside that fell right into the sea, I felt like something was out of place. The area looked beautiful, but it did not “feel” beautiful. So, I started noticing the life around me. It was hard to process.
Yes, there were plenty of plants, some blooming. The sea was calm, lake-like in character, with a color that mesmerized the senses. What I noticed though was the absence of life in the water. I saw no sea gulls or sea birds of any sorts. I saw no fish jumping. The boats were pleasure boats, not fishing boats. The restaurants served fish that was imported. There were no shell remnants of sea creatures, in fact, no sea creatures at all that I could find. I have seen more life in a polluted lake! Had I simply not understood the nature of the Mediterranean? Did I miss something? Isn’t it supposed to have life in it of some sorts?
I think back to a visit to New Zealand, a country where the paradigm consciousness supports the earth’s resources. I think of the USA, a country having those who are earth conscious and those who are not. This type of consciousness affects not only the world around us, but much more. Pollution goes further than simply trashing the earth with chemicals, papers, etc. We pollute our perceptions as well.
When I taught 3 year olds for one very long year several decades ago, I knew by the first week which children had been placed in front of a TV for hours and which ones had not. Not only was the cognition level different, but the play was more harshly aggressive for the TV watchers. People get so accustomed to the violence in movies and television, they become numb to it.
How do we wake up? Will we as society have to reach a breaking point before we try to change?
I think the change that is needed is not one of a revolutionary nature. To revolt is indeed a change, but the movement is parallel; often it is forced. In other words, one behavior is simply exchanged for another one, sometimes better, sometimes worse.
What I would like to see is an evolution of consciousness. Think of this like a growth of sorts, an honoring of the living species: human, animal, fish, foul, and plant. If humanity continues to over use the available resources, then where do we go for life? If the televisions and movies continue to show such violence and hate, where do the children go to learn to be conscientiously productive, conscious, and the art of respect and negotiation? Has the entire earth society become Narcissistic, after only self gratification?
These problems cannot be changed quickly. Not even by revolution. New belief systems have to evolve to have effect, for sudden change is commonly perceived as threat. How do we, as humanity, evolve into a consciousness of respect for earth and ourselves?
Perhaps it has to start with the individual and grow from there. Life is so beautiful. Why don’t we respect it as such?
