For the past few days I’ve been struggling to write a “holiday” message for the blog. I wanted to find something that was universal and inclusive. But all I could think of was how crazy our world is these days. I guess it’s always been a crazy place, but these days it feels more polarized and divided than ever. It’s difficult to say “peace on earth, good will toward men” when there is so much ill will and unrest.
This morning we heard a story on the radio about recent discoveries in the field of human DNA research. Researchers can date a portion of the human race back to the Neanderthals. But with all the information our DNA holds, they can not find a “race” gene. Humans simply do not possess one. Race is a cultural construct. If we look at our collective DNA, we are very much the same. We are more alike than we are different. And that got me thinking…
For millennia, we have experienced the changing seasons as the days grow shorter and the light fades. Joseph Campbell, the American mythologist, writer and lecturer, said that humans have an inherent “need to be in accord with the cycles of nature and the rhythms of the seasons” and that is why, for millennia, at this time of year people around the world celebrate life, hope, rebirth, and renewal as we wait for the sun to return and bring with it the promise of new life.
If we all possess the same DNA (more or less) and if all cultures celebrate life, hope, rebirth, and renewal then why are we so at odds? If we all shifted our thinking to recognize our similarities instead of our differences could we create a shift in global consciousness? Could that global consciousness create a kind of magic that would give weight to the wish of “peace on earth”? Maybe. It’s worth a try.
Roald Dahl said:
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”
And maybe we can make “good will toward ALL” a thing.
We at Made Simple wish you peace, love, and good health in the coming year.
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