I, like Martin Luther King Jr., have a dream, although mine is much different, yet very much the same. I dream a world of love. I dream a world of laughter. I dream a world of living. As I am growing up, I can't help but notice how life interferes with life. (Oh, the irony.) What happened to the days that I never got to know, the days where children could walk from house to house and play unsupervised with the neighborhood kids as long as they promised to be home by dinner time, the days when school was important, but not everything, and the days when life was lived and when you died, you were simply "lived out." Reading, watching, talking, and listening allow me to comprehend this "simpler" time, a time that I, in the very least, would have liked exposure to. Yes, there are so many new and equally wonderful things in my childhood, better safety and security precautions, stronger and worldlier education, and so much more required in living even a basic life. Some of these changes are welcomed and improve the "American Dream" way of life, where others simply go against every principle our four fathers set out to instill. It's no one's fault perhaps, more of a society failure. Today, we are judged on our parents' professionalism, family's annual income, connections with the "big wigs," and falling into this "image" society paints out for us. Growing up in the 21st century is hard, technology captures our every mistake and can destroy our futures before they even begin. Every generation faces its very own and different challenges, but in our case, as the children of the early 21st century, we lose the precious time to adapt. Before our futures can begin, we are already judged, based on mistakes from our extremely early life.
I'm young. I can't tell myself, yet alone anyone else how to live their life. I can't accurately predict the mistakes you'll make and what your future can hold. I can't take a giant eraser and sweep any of our records clear of their imperfections, but there's one thing I can do. There is one piece of advice I can give: Love Thy Neighbor. Love God, Love Others, and Love Yourself. Call me naive, ignorant, young, clueless, but I see that a world filled with love, as opposed to hatred, is a beautiful one. Why can't there be love in this world?
Now, I have a message, to you. Whether you're a child of the 21st century, an adult learning to adapt to this century, or an elderly person who has given up on this whole technology transformation, here's what the future can be:
LOVE
Yes, I see that my Catholic education has done its job. It has sheltered me. I get that this dream is "far-fetched" and quite "out there," but I see it being more successful than the pressing issues such as gun control, gay marriage, healthcare, immigration, and all the other political issues that aren't "changing" America into the country that it should be. So, why not try to love all. Love can maybe not fully resolve, but can help every pressing political issue. Love can conquer all. How do I know this? There's many sources, but here's one we are all familiar with:
"Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves."
1 Corinthians 13: 4 -7
This is true to Catholics, Christians, atheists, and beyond. It stands true to whatever political party you associate yourself with. Because love defines the human race, the American dream, and ultimate happiness. Love is involved in making to self-actualization on any quality of life pyramid. Love is America's only hope for surviving. We have to stop this path leading to hatred.
Mother Teresa said, "I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."
God called us to love: He does this in many instances.
The Ten Commandments teach us the very steps to take to be fulfilled, happy, and to love. In fact, I believe the ability to love can be made clear in these 10 commands.
In the Fifth Commandment, we are taught "Do not kill." This includes the pulling of a trigger on a gun to a very pressing issue in society, abortion.
The issue of gun control and abortion can be addressed in the quote below.
"Human life is sacred because from its beginning it involves the creative action of God and it remains for ever in a special relationship with the Creator, who is its sole end. God alone is the Lord of life from its beginning until its end: no one can under any circumstance claim for himself the right directly to destroy an innocent human being." {Catholic Catechism}
I can talk and address this issue in much more detail, but I believe that America is a Christian nation. We allow freedom of religion, but we are Christian nation. We can't force you to believe in God, but you have to accept that WE do and apply our laws in relation to that. So, go to your place of worship, believe whatever it is that you wish to believe, but love. Love all.
Love has an essence that can't be defined in any single definition. Within love, there is tolerance, endurance, compassion, determination, support, faith, and hope.
If we can create a nation of love, then we spread love to the world.
I think I've finally discovered my vocation: spread love.
My dream for the world is love. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream was love. His just on a more specific scale. I see, what he saw, and that is potential. America has the potential of being just about anything.
Pressing political issues can be fixed by simply looking at the big picture, by simply seeing what America can be, by looking past the imperfections at the potential.
Love thy neighbor.
Sarah Elizabeth Wilson
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