When I think about my daughter Laura, everything I
shared with her had been intended to do more than just
amuse her. I had wanted to get her to see "life" in a
different way, and, in so doing, make the world a better
place, at least her world that is. Part of the "see 'life' in a
different way" was to get her to realize that we are all
essentially prisoners of our moment in history and the
culture and weltanschauung into which we are hatched.
At the same time, I tended to doubt all people who
thought there was a logic or intrinsic meaning behind
existence. I believed everything was what it was and
couldn't be anything other than what it was at any
moment in time, a belief I still maintain and think its
promulgation to be the key to a better world.
I tried to get Laura to imagine a world wherein no one
claimed to know the truth about what life was all about,
no one claimed to know what reality was, no one saw
himself or herself to be in a position to judge guilt and
innocence or the why or wherefore of what went on in the
world, and people were finally beginning to realize that is
was very possible that absolutely nothing in existence
could be other than what it was at every moment in time.
I wanted her to realize that if people really understood
this, the world would be a very different place, one of
mystery, awe, wonder, openness, and compassion. I think
Laura at least got my message.
O Earth, how I miss you sometimes...
