NPR has an ongoing series entitled “This I believe…” where people write some reflections. I decided to jot down some thoughts this morning.
This I believe:
I believe that life – each day – is a gift. I believe none of us is guaranteed a tomorrow, and each sunrise we see is the most beautiful sunrise we have ever seen, until the next, and the next, and the next. I think of sunsets I’ve missed and mourn the loss of a moment that will never return.
I believe in the sanctity of life. I believe the term applies to all life, to the greatest and the least, to the rich and the poor. I believe the lives of starving children I sat with in Kenya are as valuable and important as the lives of my best friends. I believe when the bell tolls, it tolls for us all.
I believe in Justice – not an abstract conceptual notion of a legal code or repayment for deeds, but a real equality of all people – a world where each person is valued and respected not only for who they are, but who they may become. I believe treating each person equally requires more than changing laws, but changing hearts.
I believe in love. I believe true love is deeply rooted in sacrifice – not an ephemeral feeling of attraction. I believe it is simultaneously the most painful and most rewarding choice in life. I believe both the pain and reward of love are essential, and we would not cherish the benefits of love so strongly had we never known its pain.
I believe in struggle. I believe there is no joy in the easy life, and nothing worth doing is easy. I believe our lives consist of a series of journeys from one wilderness to the next. I believe we must learn to cherish the desert as much as the oasis. I believe our struggles define who we are as people, and that we are the sum of all we have overcome.
I believe in purpose. I believe we each have a reason to live, a reason to exist. I believe the greatest tragedy of life is when people forget their purpose and turn to lives of quiet desperation.
I believe in a better world. I believe a better future begins in the hands of every person recognizing the power they have to fashion and shape the world around them. I believe together we can make a difference not only in the future, but in the present.
This I believe: belief makes a difference. I believe our beliefs weave humanity together into a beautiful tapestry of many perspectives, many colors – each an important thread in the story of life.