THE IDES OF JULY 2018
Aloha;
The promise of our existence, and the seed of our future; children represent the continuing essence of where we come from and what we are, redesigned with new talents. We are driven to have children, for it is the nature of our physical existence to procreate. Humanity exists because we have continued to generate them, no matter how daunting the challenges life may bring.
From the moment of their first breath, children depend upon adults for everything. Without active, and ongoing nurturing from adults, children cannot survive. As is evidenced by the loss of children each day, due to the failure of adults to nurture, or protect them.
Just as those of us who were cared for, guided, educated, and protected; that same attention to children, their well-being, development, and needs is as necessary today. To children, adults are the experts on everything they see in their lives. They often have no easy way to discern or understand, guile or duplicity, when subjected to it.
Further, children are not physically capable of challenging, or contending with adults; as a rule. And they often have neither the verbal skills, nor knowledge for that task. Or the intellectual sophistication to state or express their concerns, rights, and points-of-view; in an adult world.
So to a large degree their fate, freedom, and future depend on the decisions adults make on their behalf, or in their name. Even their access food, or a safe and healthy environment, is dependent upon the adults who have a say over their lives. This makes them easy targets for anyone who does not value, or understand the critical need of humanity for our children.
It is clear there are members of our society who are comfortable with the idea some people, or groups of people are undesirable. Or unnecessary for the continuing development of people. This point of view presupposes knowledge of what our future world will be. And an understanding of what humanity must be, to survive there.
However, to the extent that we all want the human species to exist; children collectively belong to all of us. As we are a blend of all who came before us, we have a common stake in assuring human existence continues. This impulse dwells within most people.
It helps explain why adults will risk their lives to rescue children they’ve never seen before. Simply because they are children, in peril. And suggests the positive feeling one enjoys after just hearing of a successful rescue of children, is another hallmark of this common bond.
No one can predict which child nature will endow with the next gift that moves us forward. Or have that tiny genetic variation which, in time, spreads to benefit every generation that comes after them. Nor the child with the streak of genius, or flash of insight, to turn sunlight directly into sugar. Or the child who develops the philosophical outlook which finally brings us common understanding.
How shall we tell which, and how many among them will guide, save, or empower the human race. Giving us ideas, discoveries, and tools we have yet to imagine. Or which child born this day, somewhere on Earth, may actually be the key to our continued survival.
We cannot fully evaluate the negative impact to humankind, from the daily loss of children. The many who are born, but never receive the chance to show what potential our collective human heritage placed within them. As the result of an adult population on this world which is unable, or unwilling, to acknowledge their value.
Still, all children have worth, and all children have potential; of one kind or another. But the decision must be made to nurture, support, and invest in a child if they are to flourish. And every child born of the most fortunate species the world has ever known, deserves an opportunity to develop, and grow. We need them to express for our world, the gifts they were created to share.
Within the spirit of their being, most people realize this, but the thought loses its’ way in the face of other concerns. It’s true many of those concerns are not trivial; but neither are children. And it might help if more people express the courage to declare this idea openly. Since we were children once, and all of the children here now come from all of us.
Respectfully Yours,
J. A. Stubbs, Editor-In-Chief
Forgotten Lore Publishing, llc