The past and the future

[richardk]

The past and the future.

I do not feel miserable, morose, melancholic, mournful or miserable.
I do not feel downhearted, depressed, despondent, downcast or doleful.


But, I feel sad.
that many are hungry in our world,
that there are too many people for our world
that soils and plants, insects and birds, seas and fish, and other animals, are dying for us

I feel sad
that education hasn’t yet rid us of the evil nonsense that is religion
that people die fighting, even with their imaginary friends in the sky on their side
that human intelligence hasn’t yet defeated superstition

I feel sad
that I did not educate myself earlier in life
that there are so many wonders that I do not have time to learn about
that I am not clever enough to understand the universe.

I feel sad
for the child born today that will die tomorrow
for the mother who watches her child die without food
for our greed in not sharing our plenty with those in need.

I feel sad
that women of the world do not control their lives
that women do not more run the world
that women do not have equality with men

I feel sad
that we still make war instead of talk
that we send our young people to kill and die
that they fight because our leaders always fail us

I feel sad
that clever people don’t know how to make things better
that we do not cherish our precious planet
that we will learn how, too late

I feel sad
that I am not leaving the world a better place
that I have been too selfish to help others enough
that I have not been what perhaps I could have been

I feel sad
that the world has not improved during my life time
that we are not better at cooperating
that the small gains I see are not enough

I feel sad
that the hope we saw in 1918 and ‘45 has been dimmed
that the ‘wars to end all wars’ - haven’t
that we never learn from history



But, I feel hope
that education is improving
that religion and ignorance is retreating
that science is becoming better understood

I feel hope
that women of the world are demanding education
that all the male religions are in decline
that women will refuse to give their children up to war

I feel hope
because the ‘starving millions’ are fewer each year
because there is food enough to feed us all, if we want it enough
because we are starting to share our riches

I feel hope
because my children are better educated than me
because my children have no time for religion
because my children are better people than me

I feel sad
for the past

I feel hope
for the future