In high school, my class had a great teacher who made History fun by telling ancient stories and relating them to the present time. One day, she mentioned that history could be defined as "his story", as in, "man's story". One thing led to another and before we knew it, we had a discussion about what the world would be like if it would have been "her story" instead. Overall, the class agreed that it would be a gentler world because women are generally more sensitive. We also agreed that history repeats itself because we keep doing the same things. By the way, that's the same as insanity, which can also be defined as "doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome".
In the years since, I often wondered about Her Story and I realized that it is a different approach, but it has nothing to do with gender. It has to do with nurturing, which is generally considered a feminine attribute, but is truly universal. All sentient beings inherently understand the importance of being nurtured. The taking part of nurturing is perfectly clear to everyone. The giving part is not always as clear.
The value of Life
The value of a human being is not how much they're worth, but rather, how much life is worth to them.
Life has the same value for every living thing that it has for you. Consider that even a spider, that you step on without a second thought, had probably already built an intricate wonder of nature in its lifetime with the same care that you build your own life.
Sadly, the value of life is not deemed important. However this statement makes you feel, it's not new. "There's nothing new under the sun" means that anything you can imagine has already been thought about at some point. Consider how Christians were fed to starving lions for entertainment, about 2000 years ago. The Coliseum was full as humans watched other humans being torn apart and eaten by hungry beasts. Isn't that incredible? And yet, it's true.
In fact, humans have done and continue to do horrific atrocities to one another. Nothing has really changed. We say that we are evolved and civilized now, but actions speak louder than words.
People abuse and kill one other senselessly and gruesomely. Such cruelty and horror! How can any of it be justified? Doesn't pain feel the same for everyone? We want peace but we build weapons. We want communication, but we are afraid to open up to even our family and closest friends. We want to be able to breathe without wearing a mask, but do everything to ensure that one day we will have to. We poison nature and destroy animals to suit our purposes, thinking that we are superior and have the right to. Greed rules, power trips abound, everything is taken for granted. Is this what an evolved and civilized society does?
In the past, it took centuries for civilizations to disappear due to self-destruction. With today's technology, we can all be obliterated in a matter of seconds. However this time, it goes beyond just us. Now, we can destroy the planet altogether, so that there is no future for anyone anymore. Think about it.
Yet as scary as some aspects of our times are, we live in the most exciting and promising time ever.
"Oh, to be alive in such an age when miracles are everywhere and every inch of common air throbs a tremendous prophecy of greater marvels yet to be."
Walt Whitman, the great American poet and philosopher, wrote that a century before we went to space. Can you imagine what he would say today?
Make it so
Every one of us, male and female, can make the world better for everyone by choosing to be nurturing. By choosing to be a good force in the world.
Every time that you think, do, or say something, stop for a moment to feel what it would be like if it happened to you. Once you know how it feels, adjust your thinking accordingly. Think, wish and send out only what you want in YOUR life. If what you're thinking isn't FOR good, change your thinking. Do it for your own good.
There's not enough love in the world because too many of us don't love ourselves to begin with. If we really did love ourselves, we would do absolutely no harm, because everything we think and do is an open invitation for it to come back to us when we least expect it.
Knowing that, it's important to be aware of our thoughts. Knowing that, we can wish no harm to anyone or anything, ever. But wishing no harm is not enough.
Wishing only well, regardless of the situation, is the ultimate. It's being aware that you are responsible for the consequences of your true intentions, and being able to live with them.
If you can honestly and comfortably do that, you are a part of a gentler chapter of life, called Her Story.
Wishing Only Well,
Carmen Colombo
2001
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